Bible Dictionary
Soothsayer
A soothsayer is one who claims to predict future events through divination, astrology, omens, or related practices. Scripture condemns such practices as false and contrary to trusting God.
Definition
A soothsayer is one who claims to predict future events through divination, omens, astrology, or related arts. The term can refer to diviners, cloud-observers, and Chaldean astrologers who professed to determine people’s fortunes and destinies.
Biblical Usage
Balaam is called a diviner or soothsayer. Scripture also uses the term for Chaldean diviners who studied clouds and for astrologers who practiced various forms of prediction.
Historical Background
The sources distinguish several Hebrew and Chaldean terms behind the translations, including words for diviner, cloud-observer, and determiner of destinies.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
One who pretends to prognosticate future events. Baalam is so called (Josh. 13:22; Heb. kosem, a “diviner,” as rendered 1 Sam. 6:2; rendered “prudent,” Isa. 3:2). In Isa. 2:6 and Micah 5:12 (Heb. yonenim, i.e., “diviners of the clouds”) the word is used of the Chaldean diviners who studied the clouds. In Dan. 2:27; 5:7 the word is the rendering of the Chaldee gazrin, i.e., “deciders” or “determiners”, here applied to Chaldean astrologers, “who, by casting nativities from the place of the stars at one’s birth, and by various arts of computing and divining, foretold the fortunes and destinies of individuals.”, Gesenius, Lex. Heb. (See SORCERER.)
Smith's Bible Dictionary
[Divination]