To pass through the fire - i. e., to Moloch; compare the Leviticus 20:2 note.

That useth divination - Compare Numbers 23:23 note.

Observer of times ... enchanter - Compare Leviticus 19:26 note.

Witch - Rather "sorcerer," compare the Exodus 7:11 note.

To pass through the fire - Probably in the way of consecration to Molech, or some other deity. It is not likely that their being burnt to death is here intended. See on Leviticus 18:21 (note).

Divination - קסם קסמים kosem kesamim, one who endeavors to find out futurity by auguries, using lots, etc.

Observer of times - מעונן meonen, one who pretends to foretell future events by present occurrences, and who predicts great political or physical changes from the aspects of the planets, eclipses, motion of the clouds, etc., etc. See on Genesis 41:8 (note).

Enchanter - מנחש menachesh, from נחש nichesh, to view attentively; one who inspected the entrails of beasts, observed the flight of birds, etc., etc., and drew auguries thence. Some think divination by serpents is meant, which was common among the heathen.

A witch - מחשף mechashsheph, probably those who by means of drugs, herbs, perfumes, etc., pretended to bring certain celestial influences to their aid. See the note on Leviticus 19:26.

There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire,.... To Moloch, which was a sort of lustration by fire, two fires being made, and the child led by a priest between them, and which was an initiation of him into the religion of that deity, and devoting him to it; so Jarchi says, this is the service of Moloch, making piles of fire here and there (on this side and on that), and causing (the children) to pass between them both. Besides this they used to burn them with fire to this deity, perhaps after the performance of this ceremony; see Deuteronomy 12:31, or that useth divination: according to Aben Ezra this is a general name, and so Ben Melech, the particulars of which are what follow:

an observer of times, &c. Cicero says (z), there are two sorts of divination, one is of art, the other of nature. What nation or what city is not moved by prediction, either by the entrails of beasts, or of those that interpret strange things and lightnings, or of soothsayers, or astrologers, or of lots (for these are mostly of art); or of dreams or prophecies, for these two are thought to be natural? Again he says (a), the Phrygians, Pisidians, and Cilicians, pay a great respect to the signs of birds--from the beginning of the world it was that certain signs were forerunners of certain things; some in the entrails of beasts, some in birds, others in lightnings, others in marvellous things, others in the stars; some in visions and dreams, and others in the words of frantic persons. So the comedian remarks (b), that if a strange black dog comes into a house, or a snake falls from the tiles through rain, or a hen crows, these, are observed as ominous, by the diviner or soothsayer. Porphyry says (c), that soothsayers divine by the noise of crows and ravens; and it is said (d) the Arabians, from birds as from oracles, divine what shall come to pass; and that they attain to, as they say, by eating the heart and liver of dragons. Jarchi on this place asks, who is the diviner? one that lays hold on his staff, and says, shall I go? or shall I not go? that is, to such a place; and according as it fell, so judgment was made; see Hosea 4:12. Now such sort of diviners and divinations are cautioned against, as not to be admitted among the people of Israel, and regarded by them:

or an observer of times: and such things the Egyptians were very inquisitive about, what month or day belonged to the gods, what day any one was born on, what shall befall him, how he will die, and what he shall be, as Herodotus (e) relates; and such are they who are here meant, according to R. Akiba (f) that count times and hours, and say such a time is beautiful (or seasonable) to go out in and trade; but the wise men say, as Jarchi observes, these are they that hold the eyes, cast a mist over people's eyes, that they cannot perceive their juggling tricks. Some think the word has the signification of clouds, and so designs such that observed them and their motions, and made their conclusions according to them; see Leviticus 19:26,

or an enchanter; according to Jarchi, one that remarks things as ominous; as when a morsel falls out of a man's mouth, a roe stops him in the way, or his staff falls out of his hands: the word has the signification of a serpent in it, and so may signify one that enchants them; see Psalm 58:4 or makes observations by them, as portending this and that, and the other, as before observed of the snake falling from the tiles; and Horace (g) speaks of a serpent lying in the way, and frightening horses, as taken notice of by soothsayers:

or a witch; of whom see Exodus 22:18.

(z) De Divinatione, l. 1. c. 8. (a) Ibid. (b) Terent Phormio, Acts 4. Sc. 4. "introit in aedes", &c. (c) De Abstinentia, l. 3. c. 4. (d) Philostrat. Vit. Apollon. l. 1. c. 14. (e) Enterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 82. (f) Apud R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 24. 1.((g) "Rumpat et serpens iter institutum", &c. Horat. Carmin. l. 3. Ode 27.

There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to {e} pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

(e) Signifying they were purged by this ceremony of passing between two fires.

18:10 Useth divination - Foretelleth things secret or to come, by unlawful arts and practices. An observer of times - Superstitiously pronouncing some days lucky, and others unlucky. Or, an observer of the clouds or heavens, one that divineth by the motions of the clouds, by the stars, or by the flying or chattering of birds, all which Heathens used to observe. An inchanter - Or, a conjecturer, that discovers hidden things by a superstitious use of words or ceremonies, by observation of water or smoke or any contingencies. A witch - One that is in covenant with the devil.

18:9-14 Was it possible that a people so blessed with Divine institutions, should ever be in any danger of making those their teachers whom God had made their captives? They were in danger; therefore, after many like cautions, they are charged not to do after the abominations of the nations of Canaan. All reckoning of lucky or unlucky days, all charms for diseases, all amulets or spells to prevent evil, fortune-telling, &c. are here forbidden. These are so wicked as to be a chief cause of the rooting out of the Canaanites. It is amazing to think that there should be any pretenders of this kind in such a land, and day of light, as we live in. They are mere impostors who blind and cheat their followers.