Bible Dictionary
Charmer
A charmer was one who claimed to control serpents or influence people through spells, whispered formulas, knots, or enchantments. Scripture associates such practices with superstition, necromancy, and false spiritual power.
Definition
A charmer was one who claimed to influence people, blessings, curses, or serpents through charms, spells, whispered formulas, or magical knots. The term can also refer to a skilled enchanter or necromancer.
Biblical Usage
Scripture associates charmers with serpent-charming, whispering, necromancy, spells, and enchantment. Such practices appear among the forms of superstition and false spiritual power condemned or portrayed negatively in the biblical record.
Historical Background
An early and widespread belief held that venomous reptiles could be made harmless by charms or sweet sounds. The supplied material also notes practitioners of this art in India and other Eastern lands.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
One who practises serpent-charming (Ps. 58:5; Jer. 8:17; Eccl. 10:11). It was an early and universal opinion that the most venomous reptiles could be made harmless by certain charms or by sweet sounds. It is well known that there are jugglers in India and in other Eastern lands who practise this art at the present day. In Isa. 19:3 the word “charmers” is the rendering of the Hebrew ’ittim, meaning, properly, necromancers (R.V. marg., “whisperers”). In Deut. 18:11 the word “charmer” means a dealer in spells, especially one who, by binding certain knots, was supposed thereby to bind a curse or a blessing on its object. In Isa. 3:3 the words “eloquent orator” should be, as in the Revised Version, “skilful enchanter.”