Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ibn Ezra · Torah
Ibn Ezra on Deuteronomy 18:10/אבן עזרא על דברים י״ח:י׳
אמעביר בנו. ע״ג היתה כי יש גם היום בינינו גוים רבים עובדי האש:
1ONE THAT MAKETH HIS SON OR HIS DAUGHTER TO PASS THROUGH THE FIRE. This was a form of idol worship, for we have among us today many gentiles who worship the fire.26
בקוסם קסמים. יתכן היותו שם כלל ופירושו חותכי משפט האומרים כי כן יהיה בלא ספק וכן גוזרין וקרוב ממנו קסם על שפתי מלך והפרט מעונן ומנחש ומכשף גם יתכן היותו שם פרט להוברי שמים וטעם קסמים שיש במשפטי הכוכבים הנקראים ראשונים ושניים:
2ANYONE THAT USETH DIVINATION.27. Kosem (one that useth divination) is most probably a general term. It refers to those who issue decrees and declare things will undoubtedly be so.28 The term gazerin (magicians) is similar.29 (Dan. 2:27) comes from gazar (to decree). Thus gazerin means those who decree. The word kesem (divine sentence) in A divine sentence is in the lips of the king (Prov. 16:10) is close in meaning to it. The particulars30. are a soothsayer (me’onen), or an enchanter (menachesh), or a sorcerer (mechashef). It is also possible that kosem is a specific term for astrologers31. This is a phrase found in Is. 47:13. I.E. there defines it as astrologers. I.E. believed that the study of astrology was permitted. What was prohibited was making absolute predictions using astrology. It should be noted that I.E. believed that the urim and tummim entailed the use of astrology. Therefore I.E. probably believed that certain types of astrological predictions were prohibited, while others, i.e., those sanctioned by the Torah, were permitted. See I.E. on Ex. 28:5 (Vol. 2, pp. 595-598? and the notes thereto). See also Dov. Schwartz, Astral Magic in Medieval Jewish Thought (Heb.), Bar-Ilan University, Israel, 1999, pp. 62-91. and that kesamim (divinations) refers to divination that astrologers make based on the primary and secondary stars.32
גמעונן ומנחש. פירשתים:
3A SOOTHSAYER,33. OR AN ENCHANTER.34. I have explained these terms previously.35
דומכשף. כן:
4OR A SORCERER.36. I have also explained this term.37