What the Bible Actually Said About “Witches”: A Mistranslation That Changed History

For centuries, the phrase “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live” from Exodus 22:18 has been used to justify persecution, torture, and murder. But what if the Bible never actually condemned witches at all? What if the wise women, the herbalists, the midwives, and the village healers were never the target of this ancient text?The truth is far more complex, and far more tragic, than most people realize.The Word That Changed Everything: KashapIn the original Hebrew text of Exodus 22:18, the word translated as “witch” is kashap (כָּשַׁף). This is critical, because kashap doesn’t mean what we think of as a witch at all.Kashap refers specifically to someone who uses poison or harmful potions with malicious intent – a poisoner, a sorcerer who causes harm through toxic substances. The root of the word is associated with muttering or whispering incantations while preparing harmful concoctions. This wasn’t about the wise woman brewing healing tea or the midwife easing labor pains with herbal remedies.In ancient Near Eastern context, a kashap was closer to what we might call a malicious poisoner or one who used substances to harm, manipulate, or kill others, often for payment. These were individuals who worked in secret to cause genuine harm, not community healers working openly to help their neighbors.The verse, more accurately translated, might read: “You shall not allow a poisoner to live” or “Do not tolerate one who harms through toxic sorcery.”The Wise Women Who Were Never CondemnedThroughout the Biblical narrative, we actually see women in roles that would later be called “witchcraft” by European standards, and they’re not condemned for it.Midwives like Shiphrah and Puah are celebrated as heroes who defied Pharaoh to save Hebrew babies. The woman of En-dor, though operating outside official religious channels, isn’t condemned in the text for her abilities, Saul seeks her out, and the narrative treats her sympathetically. The “virtuous woman” of Proverbs 31 is praised for her knowledge of herbs and textiles, skills that would later mark women as suspicious.The Biblical text distinguishes between harmful magic (kashap, using poisons to harm) and the everyday wisdom of women who understood plants, healing, and the mysteries of birth and death. The herbalist mixing remedies, the midwife catching babies, the woman who knew when to plant by the moon. These were never the target.When Religion Became a Weapon: Europe’s Dark TurnFast forward to medieval and early modern Europe. Christianity had spread across the continent, but something sinister was brewing. As the Church consolidated power and patriarchal structures tightened their grip, fear became a useful tool of control.The translation of the Bible into Latin, then into vernacular European languages, carried that single word kashap into a completely different cultural context. European translators, influenced by their own cultural fears and misogyny, chose words like “witch” (English), Hexe (German), and sorcière (French) – words loaded with meaning in their own cultures.But European “witches” weren’t poisoners. They were often simply women who:~ Possessed knowledge of herbal medicine~ Served as midwives and healers~ Lived independently without male oversight~ Owned property or spoke too boldly~ Were elderly and no longer “useful” to patriarchal society~ Were convenient scapegoats when crops failed or illness struckThe mistranslation provided Biblical justification for something the text never actually endorsed: the systematic persecution of women, particularly those with knowledge, independence, or property.Fear as a Weapon of ControlThe European witch hunts (roughly 1450-1750) resulted in the execution of an estimated 40,000 to 60,000 people, with some historians suggesting the number could be much higher. The overwhelming majority, around 75-80%, were women.This wasn’t about Biblical faithfulness. This was about power, control, and the elimination...