some adherents of near-east religions acted as mediums, channeling messages from the dead or from a familiar spirit. the bible sometimes is translated as referring to "necromancer" and "necromancy" (). however, some lexicographers, including james strong and spiros zodhiates, disagree. these scholars say that the hebrew word "kashaph", used in exodus 22:18 and 5 other places in the tanakh comes from a root meaning "to whisper". strong therefore concludes that the word means "to whisper a spell, "i.e." to incant or practice magic". the contemporary english version translates as referring to "any kind of magic".