Three modes of divination are here mentioned as having been practiced by the king of Babylon when he came to the junction of two ways and was unable to decide which to take.
1. Belomancy, or divination by arrows. Kilkal bachitsim, “he made his arrows bright,” is literally, “he shook the arrows,” alluding to the mode of using the arrows for the purpose of divination. According to Jerome, in the case referred to in the text, each arrow to be used had on it the name of some town to be attacked. The arrows so marked were put into a quiver and shaken together, after which they were drawn one by one. The cities were to be attacked in the order in which the arrows were drawn. As “Jerusalem” was on the arrow first drawn, thither the king proceeded. Another old writer says that the arrows were thrown up to see which way they would fall, and in this manner the course to be taken was indicated.
Some of the sculptured slabs at Nimroud are supposed to represent divination of this sort, the king being seen with arrows in his hand.
This superstition was much practiced by the Arabs, notwithstanding it is prohibited in the Koran: “It is likewise unlawful for you to make division by casting lots with arrows. This is an impiety” (Koran, chap. 5, Sale’s translation; see also Mr. Sale's Preliminary Discourse, § 5).
The Arabs were in the habit of consulting their arrows before anything of importance was undertaken. These arrows were parti-colored, were without heads or feathers, and were kept in some sacred place. Seven of them were kept in the temple at Mecca. In divination the Arabs generally used but three, though sometimes they used four. On one of the arrows was written, in Arabic, “My Lord hath bidden me”; on the second, “My Lord hath forbidden me”; the third was blank. If the first was drawn, the proposed enterprise was carried out; if the second was drawn, the project was abandoned; if the third was brought out, the arrows had to be again mixed and drawn until a decided answer was obtained.
2. Consultation of the teraphim. “He consulted with images.” The Hebrew word is teraphim. Fairbairn says: “This is the only place where the use of teraphim is expressly ascribed to a heathen, though in 1 Samuel 15:2323For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. (1 Samuel 15:23), it is stigmatized as of an essentially heathen and, consequently, obnoxious character: Stubbornness is as iniquity and teraphim” (Commentary in loco). The Hebrews were very much addicted to this form of divination. See note on Genesis 31:1919And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's. (Genesis 31:19) (#60).
3. Hepatoscopy, or inspection of the liver. This is a branch of splanchnomancy, or divination by inspection of the viscera, and is often referred to by classic writers. It is said that among the Lusitani the livers were obtained, not only from animals offered in sacrifice, but also from prisoners taken in war!
The Orientals considered the liver to be the most valuable of the viscera because they thought it most concerned in the formation of the blood, and they believed that in the blood is the life. The ancient Jews, Greeks, and Romans, and some other nations, supposed the liver to be the seat of the passions. In like manner the Arabs of the present day regard the liver as the seat of courage; and among the Malay peoples the liver is considered the seat of all moral impressions and feelings. One names another caressingly, “My liver!” “My liver is sick” is, in other words, “I am angry.” “My liver is anxious,” “my liver wishes,” is absolutely equivalent, in other words, to “my heart,” “my soul.” See Delitzsch's System of Biblical Psychology, p. 316.
This widely-diffused idea of antiquity, traces of which are still to be found, may account for the fact that the liver was considered the most important of the viscera for divining purposes. The lower part of the liver was the portion which was used in divination, and there were certain signs which were considered to be of good or bad omen. If the liver was of good size, sound, and without spot or blemish, prosperity and success were expected. If it was too dry, and had blisters, pustules, or any corrupt humors; if it was parched, thin, hard, or of an ugly black color, disappointment and adverse fate were looked for.
This revolting mode of divination was practiced not only by the Babylonians, as indicated in the text, but by the Creeks and Romans also. There is no evidence, however, of its existence among the Jews.