18 Any woman using unnatural powers or secret arts is to be put to death.
Any man or woman who makes use of spirits, or who is a wonder-worker, is to be put to death: they are to be stoned with stones: their blood will be on them.
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel, after weeping for him, had put his body in its last resting-place in Ramah, his town. And Saul had put away from the land all those who had control of spirits and who made use of secret arts.
Let there not be seen among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter go through the fire, or anyone using secret arts, or a maker of strange sounds, or a reader of signs, or any wonder-worker, Or anyone using secret force on people, or putting questions to a spirit, or having secret knowledge, or going to the dead for directions.
Nothing may be used for food with its blood in it; you may not make use of strange arts, or go in search of signs and wonders.
And the woman said to him, But you have knowledge of what Saul has done, how he has put away out of the land those who have control of spirits and the users of secret arts: why would you, by a trick, put me in danger of death?
And the spirit of Egypt will be troubled in her, and I will make her decisions without effect: and they will be turning to the false gods, and to those who make hollow sounds, and to those who have control of spirits, and to those who are wise in secret arts.
But there was a certain man named Simon, who in the past had been a wonder-worker and a cause of surprise to the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was a great man: To whom they all gave attention, from the smallest to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is named Great. And they gave attention to him, because for a long time his wonder-working powers had kept them under his control.
And when we were going to the place of prayer, we came across a girl with a spirit which gave knowledge of the future, whose masters made great profit from her power. She came after Paul and us, crying out and saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who are giving you news of the way of salvation. And this she did on a number of days. But Paul was greatly troubled and, turning, said to the spirit, I give you orders in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her. And it came out that very hour. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they took Paul and Silas, pulling them into the market-place before the rulers;
And a great number of those who were experts in strange arts took their books and put them on the fire in front of everyone: and when the books were valued they came to fifty thousand bits of silver.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 22
Commentary on Exodus 22 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 22
The laws of this chapter relate,
Exd 22:1-6
Here are the laws,
Exd 22:7-15
These laws are,
Exd 22:16-24
Here is,
Exd 22:25-31
Here is,