Old Testament

Wisdom and Poetical Books

What is hepatoscopy?

The Babylonians practiced hepatoscopy, or fortunetelling by analyzing markings on an animal liver. Ezekiel referenced this: “For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the fork in the two roads, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the teraphim (religious images), he inspects the liver.” (NRSV, Ezekiel 21:21)