Magic in Ancient Israel & the Hebrew Bible - Divination Necromancy Amulets and the Witch of Endor

Ancient Israel is one of the most studied cultures of the ancient world. Though, one understudied aspect of their society was the practice of magic. This episode of Esoteric explores what little archaeological and literary evidence remains for the study of ancient Israelite magic. Here we will look at silver amulets found in Jerusalem's tombs and dive into the Hebrew Bible to try to understand the forms of magic that are typically forbidden there. Here we will find various forms of divination and necromancy including the infamous account of the so-called "Witch of Endor."

Recommended Readings:
Yuval Harari - Jewish Magic before the Rise of Kabbalah - 978-0814336304
Gideon Bohak - Ancient Jewish Magic - 978-0521180986
Joshua Trachtenberg - Jewish Magic and Superstition - 978-1614274070 - Dated, proceed critically!

#magic #bible #judaism