SEV Biblia, Chapter 19:31
No os volváis a los encantadores y a los adivinos; no los consultéis ensuciándoos con ellos. Yo soy el SEŃOR vuestro Dios.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Leviticus 19:31
Verse 31. Regard not them that have familiar spirits] The Hebrew word twba oboth probably signifies a kind of engastromuthoi or ventriloquists, or such as the Pythoness mentioned Acts xvi. 16, 18; persons who, while under the influence of their demon, became greatly inflated, as the Hebrew word implies, and gave answers in a sort of phrensy. See a case of this kind in Virgil, AEneid, l. vi., ver. 46, &c.:- " - Deus ecce, Deus! cui talla fanti Ante fores, subito non vultus, non colour unus, Non comptae mansere comae; sed pectus anhelum, Et rabie fera corda tument; majorque videri, Nec mortale sonans, afflata est numine quando Jam propiore Dei."- Invoke the skies, I feel the god, the rushing god, she cries. While yet she spoke, enlarged her features grew, Her colour changed, her locks dishevelled flew.
The heavenly tumult reigns in every part, Pants in her breast, and swells her rising heart: Still swelling to the sight, the priestess glowed, And heaved impatient of the incumbent god. PITT.
Neither seek after wizards] µyn[dy yiddeonim, the wise or knowing ones, from [dy yada, to know or understand; called wizard in Scotland, wise or cunning man in England; and hence also the wise woman, the white witch. Not only all real dealers with familiar spirits, or necromantic or magical superstitions, are here forbidden, but also all pretenders to the knowledge of futurity, fortune-tellers, astrologers, &c., &c. To attempt to know what God has not thought proper to reveal, is a sin against his wisdom, providence, and goodness. In mercy, great mercy, God has hidden the knowledge of futurity from man, and given him hope - the expectation of future good, in its place. See's note on "Exod. xxii. 18".
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 31. Regard not them that have familiar spirits , etc.] The word used signifies “bottles”, and that sort of diviners here intended go by this name, either because what they sat on when they divined was in the form of a bottle, or they divined by one, or they were swelled and inflated as bottles when they delivered out their answers, or spoke as out of a bottle or hollow place; hence they are called masters or mistresses of the bottle: they seem to be the same with the ventriloquists, and so the Septuagint version here calls them; such whose voice seemed to come out of their bellies, and even the lower parts of them; and such was the Pythian prophetess at Delphos, and very probably the maid in the times of the apostles, who had a spirit of divination, or of Python, ( Acts 16:16); and so the words may be rendered here, “look not to the Python” f707 , or those who have the spirit of Python; so Jarchi from the Misnah interprets the word here used, “Baal Ob” or the master of the bottle, this is Python, one that speaks from under his arm holes: neither seek after wizards ; such as pretend to a great deal of knowledge, as the word signifies; such as are called cunning men, who pretend to know where lost or stolen goods are, and to tell people their fortunes, and what will befall them hereafter: to be defiled by them ; for by seeking to them, and believing what is said by them, and trusting thereunto, and expecting events answerable to their predictions, they would be guilty of a gross sin, and so bring pollution and guilt on them; according to the Jewish canons f709 , such sort of persons as are cautioned against were to be stoned, and they that consulted them to be reproved; I [am] the Lord your God ; who only is to be regarded and sought unto for advice and assistance; (see Isaiah 8:19).
Matthew Henry Commentary
laws.
--There are some ceremonial precepts in this chapter, but most of thes precepts are binding on us, for they are explanations of the te commandments. It is required that Israel be a holy people, because the God of Israel is a holy God, ver. #(2). To teach real separation from the world and the flesh, and entire devotedness to God. This is now the law of Christ; may the Lord bring every thought within us int obedience to it! Children are to be obedient to their parents, very #(3). The fear here required includes inward reverence and esteem outward respect and obedience, care to please them and to make the easy. God only is to be worshipped, ver. #(4). Turn not from the tru God to false ones, from the God who will make you holy and happy, to those that will deceive you, and make you for ever miserable. Turn no your eyes to them, much less your heart. They should leave the gleanings of their harvest and vintage for the poor, ver. #(9). Work of piety must be always attended with works of charity, according to our ability. We must not be covetous, griping, and greedy of ever thing we can lay claim to, nor insist upon our right in all things. We are to be honest and true in all our dealings, ver. #(11). Whatever we have in the world, we must see that we get it honestly, for we cannot be truly rich, or long rich, with that which is not so. Reverence to the sacred name of God must be shown, ver. #(12). We must not detai what belongs to another, particularly the wages of the hireling, very #(13). We must be tender of the credit and safety of those that cannot help themselves, ver. #(14). Do no hurt to any, because they ar unwilling or unable to avenge themselves. We ought to take heed of doing any thing which may occasion our weak brother to fall. The fea of God should keep us from doing wrong things, though they will no expose us to men's anger. Judges, and all in authority, are commande to give judgment without partiality, ver. #(15). To be a tale-bearer and to sow discord among neighbours, is as bad an office as a man can put himself into. We are to rebuke our neighbour in love, ver. #(17) Rather rebuke him than hate him, for an injury done to thyself. We incur guilt by not reproving; it is hating our brother. We should say I will do him the kindness to tell him of his faults. We are to put of all malice, and to put on brotherly love, ver. #(18). We often wron ourselves, but we soon forgive ourselves those wrongs, and they do no at all lessen our love to ourselves; in like manner we should love ou neighbour. We must in many cases deny ourselves for the good of ou neighbour. Ver. #(31): For Christians to have their fortunes told, to use spells and charms, or the like, is a sad affront to God. They mus be grossly ignorant who ask, "What harm is there in these things?" Her is a charge to young people to show respect to the aged, ver. #(32) Religion teaches good manners, and obliges us to honour those to who honour is due. A charge was given to the Israelites to be very tende of strangers, ver. #(33). Strangers, and the widows and fatherless, ar God's particular care. It is at our peril, if we do them any wrong Strangers shall be welcome to God's grace; we should do what we can to recommend religion to them. Justice in weights and measures i commanded, ver. #(35). We must make conscience of obeying God' precepts. We are not to pick and choose our duty, but must aim a standing complete in all the will of God. And the nearer our lives an tempers are to the precepts of God's law, the happier shall we be, an the happier shall we make all around us, and the better shall we ador the gospel __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
אל 408 תפנו 6437 אל 413 האבת 178 ואל 413 הידענים 3049 אל 408 תבקשׁו 1245 לטמאה 2930 בהם אני 589 יהוה 3068 אלהיכם׃ 430
