div·i·na·tion /ˌdɪvəˈneʃən/
 占卜,卜卦,預測


 Div·i·na·tion n.
 1. The act of divining; a foreseeing or foretelling of future events; the pretended art discovering secret or future by preternatural means.
    There shall not be found among you any one that . . . useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter.   --Deut. xviii. 10.
 Note: ☞ Among the ancient heathen philosophers natural divination was supposed to be effected by a divine afflatus; artificial divination by certain rites, omens, or appearances, as the flight of birds, entrails of animals, etc.
 2. An indication of what is future or secret; augury omen; conjectural presage; prediction.
    Birds which do give a happy divination of things to come.   --Sir T. North.

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 divination
      n 1: successful conjecture by unusual insight or good luck
      2: a prediction uttered under divine inspiration [syn: prophecy]
      3: the art or gift of prophecy (or the pretense of prophecy) by
         supernatural means [syn: foretelling, soothsaying, {fortune
         telling]


 Divination
    of false prophets (Deut. 18:10, 14; Micah 3:6, 7, 11), of
    necromancers (1 Sam. 28:8), of the Philistine priests and
    diviners (1 Sam. 6:2), of Balaam (Josh. 13:22). Three kinds of
    divination are mentioned in Ezek. 21:21, by arrows, consulting
    with images (the teraphim), and by examining the entrails of
    animals sacrificed. The practice of this art seems to have been
    encouraged in ancient Egypt. Diviners also abounded among the
    aborigines of Canaan and the Philistines (Isa. 2:6; 1 Sam. 28).
    At a later period multitudes of magicians poured from Chaldea
    and Arabia into the land of Israel, and pursued their
    occupations (Isa. 8:19; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chr. 33:6). This
    superstition widely spread, and in the time of the apostles
    there were "vagabond Jews, exorcists" (Acts 19:13), and men like
    Simon Magus (Acts 8:9), Bar-jesus (13:6, 8), and other jugglers
    and impostors (19:19; 2 Tim. 3:13). Every species and degree of
    this superstition was strictly forbidden by the law of Moses
    (Ex. 22:18; Lev. 19:26, 31; 20:27; Deut. 18:10, 11).

      But beyond these various forms of superstition, there are
    instances of divination on record in the Scriptures by which God
    was pleased to make known his will.

      (1.) There was divination by lot, by which, when resorted to
    in matters of moment, and with solemnity, God intimated his will
    (Josh. 7:13). The land of Canaan was divided by lot (Num. 26:55,
    56); Achan's guilt was detected (Josh. 7:16-19), Saul was
    elected king (1 Sam. 10:20, 21), and Matthias chosen to the
    apostleship, by the solem lot (Acts 1:26). It was thus also that
    the scape-goat was determined (Lev. 16:8-10).

      (2.) There was divination by dreams (Gen. 20:6; Deut. 13:1, 3;
    Judg. 7:13, 15; Matt. 1:20; 2:12, 13, 19, 22). This is
    illustrated in the history of Joseph (Gen. 41:25-32) and of
    Daniel (2:27; 4:19-28).

      (3.) By divine appointment there was also divination by the
    Urim and Thummim (Num. 27:21), and by the ephod.

      (4.) God was pleased sometimes to vouch-safe direct vocal
    communications to men (Deut. 34:10; Ex. 3:4; 4:3; Deut. 4:14,
    15; 1 Kings 19:12). He also communed with men from above the
    mercy-seat (Ex. 25:22), and at the door of the tabernacle (Ex.
    29:42, 43).

      (5.) Through his prophets God revealed himself, and gave
    intimations of his will (2 Kings 13:17; Jer. 51:63, 64).