Deuteronomy 18:9-14·~1 min

Sorcery Forbidden

When Israel enters the land, they must not imitate the nations' detestable practices, including child sacrifice, divination, omens, sorcery, spells, and consulting the dead. These acts are why those nations are being driven out before them.

W⁹hen you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. ¹⁰Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, ¹¹casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. ¹²For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.

Israel is called to be blameless before the LORD instead of listening to diviners and conjurers as the nations do. What other peoples pursue for guidance, the LORD has not permitted for His own people.

¹³You must be blameless before the LORD your God. ¹⁴Though these nations, which you will dispossess, listen to conjurers and diviners, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.

Section summaryIsrael is forbidden to copy the nations' practices of child sacrifice, divination, sorcery, and contact with the dead. Those practices are detestable to the LORD, so Israel must walk before Him with an undivided, blameless loyalty.

Role in the chapterThis section clears away rival ways of seeking power or knowledge. It sharpens the chapter's contrast between guidance that comes from the LORD and spiritual practices borrowed from the nations.