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26 ‎[1] YE SHALL NOT EAT WITH THE BLOOD. This is connected to what is written above it. Scripture warned against eating from the fruit of any planted tree until the fifth year. It similarly also prohibited one, if he is in the proximity of the sanctuary, to eat from any permitted flesh unless its blood first be sprinkled on the altar of God. The account of King Saul is a faithful witness to this interpretation, for the ark of the Lord was with Saul, and Scripture explicitly states, “Behold, the people are eating with the blood.” As I explained, it was as if the people were sacrificing to the demons, for this was their custom in Egypt. There they were accustomed to sacrifice in the name of the demons. Now this is clear, since the blood was not poured on the altar in the worship of God. *Neither shall ye practice divination* is connected to *ye shall not eat with the blood* because they used to eat with the blood and go astray after the demons in Egypt, and they used to practice divination and soothsaying in Canaan. The aforementioned is clearly stated in Scripture. This too was like the *doings of the land of Egypt;*…and…*the doings of the land of Canaan* (Lev. 18:3). The word *menachesh* means divines. Compare, *I have observed the signs* (nichashti), *And the Lord hath blessed me* (Gen. 30:27). Divinations take many forms. There are types of divination that employs images, sticks, actions, movements, days, and hours.
‎[2] SOOTHSAYING. Some say that the word *te’onennu* (soothsaying) is related to the word *anah* (answer). The soothsayer imagines something in his heart and inclines his ear to hear what the speaker will answer. However, the rule of grammar rejects this interpretation. There are those who say that *te’onennu* comes from the word *onah* (time). It is similar to the word *onatah* (her conjugal rights) in *and her conjugal rights, shall he not diminish* (Ex. 21:10). However, it appears to me that *te’onennu* is related to the word *anan* (cloud), for it is known that the one who practices divination looks at the clouds and observes their forms and their movements. *Te’onennu* probably comes from a verb with a doubled root. It is like the word *tesovevu* (you will go round about), for we find, *And with soothsayers* (onenim) *like the Philistines* (Is. 2:6). [I note this] for it is possible that *te’onennu* is a doubled form. *Me’onen* (one that uses divination) *u-menachesh* (Deut. 18:9) is proof.
Version: Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004
Source: https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH001102376/NLI
License: CC-BY-NC