11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

Other Translations of Deuteronomy 18:11

New International Version

11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.

English Standard Version

11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead,

The Message

11 casting spells, holding séances, or channeling with the dead.

New King James Version

11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.

New Living Translation

11 or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:11

Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:9-14

(Read Deuteronomy 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.