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divination

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divination


  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Divination  \Div`i*na"tion\,  n.  [L.  divinatio,  fr  divinare 
  divinatum  to  foresee,  foretell,  fr  divinus:  cf  F. 
  divination.  See  {Divine}.] 
  1.  The  act  of  divining;  a  foreseeing  or  foretelling  of  future 
  events;  the  pretended  art  discovering  secret  or  future  by 
  preternatural  means 
 
  There  shall  not  be  found  among  you  any  one  that  .  . 
  .  useth  divination,  or  an  observer  of  times,  or  an 
  enchanter.  --Deut.  xviii. 
  10. 
 
  Note:  Among  the  ancient  heathen  philosophers  natural 
  divination  was  supposed  to  be  effected  by  a  divine 
  afflatus;  artificial  divination  by  certain  rites, 
  omens,  or  appearances,  as  the  flight  of  birds,  entrails 
  of  animals,  etc 
 
  2.  An  indication  of  what  is  future  or  secret;  augury  omen; 
  conjectural  presage;  prediction. 
 
  Birds  which  do  give  a  happy  divination  of  things  to 
  come  --Sir  T. 
  North. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  divination 
  n  1:  a  prediction  uttered  under  divine  inspiration  [syn:  {prophecy}] 
  2:  prophecy  by  supernatural  means  [syn:  {foretelling},  {soothsaying}, 
  {fortune  telling}] 
 
  From  Easton's  1897  Bible  Dictionary  [easton]: 
 
  Divination 
  of  false  prophets  (Deut.  18:10,  14;  Micah  3:6,  7,  11),  of 
  necromancers  (1  Sam.  28:8),  of  the  Philistine  priests  and 
  diviners  (1  Sam.  6:2),  of  Balaam  (Josh.  13:22).  Three  kinds  of 
  divination  are  mentioned  in  Ezek.  21:21,  by  arrows,  consulting 
  with  images  (the  teraphim),  and  by  examining  the  entrails  of 
  animals  sacrificed.  The  practice  of  this  art  seems  to  have  been 
  encouraged  in  ancient  Egypt.  Diviners  also  abounded  among  the 
  aborigines  of  Canaan  and  the  Philistines  (Isa.  2:6;  1  Sam.  28). 
  At  a  later  period  multitudes  of  magicians  poured  from  Chaldea 
  and  Arabia  into  the  land  of  Israel,  and  pursued  their 
  occupations  (Isa.  8:19;  2  Kings  21:6;  2  Chr.  33:6).  This 
  superstition  widely  spread,  and  in  the  time  of  the  apostles 
  there  were  "vagabond  Jews,  exorcists"  (Acts  19:13),  and  men  like 
  Simon  Magus  (Acts  8:9),  Bar-jesus  (13:6,  8),  and  other  jugglers 
  and  impostors  (19:19;  2  Tim.  3:13).  Every  species  and  degree  of 
  this  superstition  was  strictly  forbidden  by  the  law  of  Moses 
  (Ex.  22:18;  Lev.  19:26,  31;  20:27;  Deut.  18:10,  11). 
 
  But  beyond  these  various  forms  of  superstition,  there  are 
  instances  of  divination  on  record  in  the  Scriptures  by  which  God 
  was  pleased  to  make  known  his  will 
 
  (1.)  There  was  divination  by  lot  by  which  when  resorted  to 
  in  matters  of  moment,  and  with  solemnity,  God  intimated  his  will 
  (Josh.  7:13).  The  land  of  Canaan  was  divided  by  lot  (Num.  26:55, 
  56);  Achan's  guilt  was  detected  (Josh.  7:16-19),  Saul  was 
  elected  king  (1  Sam.  10:20,  21),  and  Matthias  chosen  to  the 
  apostleship,  by  the  solem  lot  (Acts  1:26).  It  was  thus  also  that 
  the  scape-goat  was  determined  (Lev.  16:8-10). 
 
  (2.)  There  was  divination  by  dreams  (Gen.  20:6;  Deut.  13:1,  3; 
  Judg.  7:13,  15;  Matt.  1:20;  2:12,  13,  19,  22).  This  is 
  illustrated  in  the  history  of  Joseph  (Gen.  41:25-32)  and  of 
  Daniel  (2:27;  4:19-28). 
 
  (3.)  By  divine  appointment  there  was  also  divination  by  the 
  Urim  and  Thummim  (Num.  27:21),  and  by  the  ephod. 
 
  (4.)  God  was  pleased  sometimes  to  vouch-safe  direct  vocal 
  communications  to  men  (Deut.  34:10;  Ex  3:4;  4:3;  Deut.  4:14, 
  15;  1  Kings  19:12).  He  also  communed  with  men  from  above  the 
  mercy-seat  (Ex.  25:22),  and  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle  (Ex. 
  29:42,  43). 
 
  (5.)  Through  his  prophets  God  revealed  himself,  and  gave 
  intimations  of  his  will  (2  Kings  13:17;  Jer.  51:63,  64). 
 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  DIVINATION,  n.  The  art  of  nosing  out  the  occult.  Divination  is  of  as 
  many  kinds  as  there  are  fruit-bearing  varieties  of  the  flowering  dunce 
  and  the  early  fool. 
 
 




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