BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY

Charmer

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2266

חָבַר

cha.var — to unite

1) to unite, join, bind together, be joined, be coupled, be in league, heap up, have fellowship with, be compact, be a charmer 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to unite, be joined 1a2) to tie magic charms, charm 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to unite with, make an ally of 1b2) to unite, join, ally 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be allied with, be united 1c2) to be joined together 1d) (Hiphil) to join together, pile up (words) 1e) (Hithpael) to join oneself to, make an alliance, league together

23 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H2267

חֶ֫בֶר

che.ver — spell

1) association, company, band 2) shared, association, society 3) a magician, charmer, spell

4 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3907

לָחַשׁ

la.chash — to whisper

1) to whisper, charm, conjure 1a) (Piel) charmers, conjurers, whisperers (participle) 1b) (Hithpael) to whisper to each other

3 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

Historical dictionary entry

One who practises serpent-charming (Ps. 58:5; Jer. 8:17; Eccl. 10:11). It was an early and universal opinion that the most venomous reptiles could be made harmless by certain charms or by sweet sounds. It is well known that there are jugglers in India and in other Eastern lands who practise this art at the present day. In Isa. 19:3 the word “charmers” is the rendering of the Hebrew ’ittim, meaning, properly, necromancers (R.V. marg., “whisperers”). In Deut. 18:11 the word “charmer” means a dealer in spells, especially one who, by binding certain knots, was supposed thereby to bind a curse or a blessing on its object. In Isa. 3:3 the words “eloquent orator” should be, as in the Revised Version, “skilful enchanter.”

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Charmer in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →