Exodus 22:18 Meaning: Sorcery and Covenant Loyalty

The English word “sorceress” translates a Hebrew term that points to someone who practices magic arts, often for harm or for hidden knowledge. The commentators describe it as a person who uses spells, drugs, or incantations to bring about supernatural effects. This could involve pretending to raise the dead, as in the story of the witch of Endor, or manipulating people through deception and evil spirits. The feminine form may reflect that such practices were especially common among women in the ancient world, though the same law applied to men. The deeper issue is not the method but the loyalty. Sorcery is an appeal to a power other than God. It says, in effect, that God is not enough. That is why the penalty is so severe. The command protects the community from a spiritual infection that would erode trust in God.

Across Christian history, this verse has been read with caution and gravity. Some traditions see it as part of the civil law for ancient Israel, no longer binding on governments or individuals today. They point out that the New Testament does not impose such penalties on believers, but warns against occult practices in other ways. Other traditions emphasize that the verse reveals God’s continuing hatred of any practice that seeks power or knowledge from forbidden sources. The tragic misuse of this verse to hunt and kill accused witches has led many Christians to read it more carefully, recognizing that it was a judicial command for a theocratic nation, not a license for personal vengeance. Both sides agree that the heart of the command is about exclusive loyalty to God.

A common misreading is that this verse commands Christians today to hunt down and execute people suspected of witchcraft. In fact, this command was given to the civil authorities of Israel as a theocratic nation. It does not authorize individuals or modern governments to kill anyone for sorcery. The New Testament teaches that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces, and we are to use the Word of God and prayer to contend with them.

You may not be tempted to cast spells or consult a medium. But the heart of this verse reaches into subtle places where you look for power or guidance apart from God. A quick check of your horoscope. A superstition that makes you avoid a cracked sidewalk. A secret reliance on luck or fate. These are small versions of the same drift: seeking control from sources other than the living God. This week, notice those places. When you catch yourself hoping in something other than God, stop and speak to Him instead. Tell Him you are unsure. Ask Him for wisdom. He is enough for what you face.