14. But to return. The 95, or “priests,” mentioned among the Egyptians, were probably princes of the people at the first. And translators are yet dubious whether they should render the word in its places “ priests” or “ princes.” At first they were de- signed by common consent to take care of the “sacra” which be-
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SECT. 14, 15.] AND SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 255
longed unto the community, which grew into an hereditary office; nor can I give any other probable conjecture concerning them. Ap- pointed they seem to have been to comply with the catholic tradi- tion of sacrificing, or doing something in lieu of it, for the good of the community. And their function continued in principal reputa- tion in after ages, increasing in popular veneration and ésteem as superstition increased among them, which was fast enough, until it had even tired itself with its own extravagancies and excess. 15. Besides these “cohanim,” there were in Egypt at the same
time other sorts of men, whom we call “ magicians and sorcerers,”
whose arts or delusions were afterwards generally followed by the priests of other nations; or, it may be, upon some neglect of the service of their gods, these men, pretending unto a familiarity and acquaintance with them, took the office upon themselves, promising supernatural effects in the execution of it. There seem to be three sorts of them expressed, Exod. vii.11. There are the 0°™3N, “chaca- mim;” and 0°22, “mecashshephim,” and 0.9070, “chartummim.” The “chacamim,” which we render “wise men,” are here distin- guished from the “mecashshephim,” or “sorcerers;” but the “ char- tummim,” or “magicians,” seem to comprise both the other sorts, the “chacamim” and “mecashshephim:” “Then Pharaoh called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.” But Gen. xli. 8, the “cha- camim,” or “wise men,” are distinguished from the “chartummim,” or “magicians,” as they are here from the “mecashshephim,” or “sorcerers;” and therefore we shall consider them distinctly.
The 0°)25 are constantly rendered by the LXX. cogo/, and all other translations are compliant, the word being of a known obvious signification, and commonly taken in a good sense, “ wise men;” for they were they who afterwards, when the contemplation of things secret and hidden first found acceptance and then applause in Greece, were called cogos and then ¢g:Aéoogo. But the original of
their studies seem to have been in things magical, curious, and
diabolical; in which arts philosophy made its last attempt in the world under Apollonius and some other Pythagoreans,—so, like an “jonis fatuus,” expiring as it began. Wherefore these “ chaca- mim,” now of such reputation in Egypt, were such as had separated themselves unto the study of curious arts and the speculation of hidden things; into whose contemplations Satan variously insinuated himself, giving them an esteem and honour among the common people on the account of their skill in things unto them unknown;
- they gratifying him, on the other hand, in promoting his design for
superstition and idolatry. This gave them the title of “wise men;”
which yet possibly, in the judgment of those who really were so,
256 PREFIGURATIONS OF THE PRIESTHOOD [EXERC. XXXIV.
was confined unto their trade and profession, for we hear not of their use on any other occasion. Exod. vii. 11, the LXX. render DIN by cogiorui, “ Men subtle to deceive.” Hence, probably, in the expression of what was done by their counsel, Luke useth xara- oopicdmcvos, “ dealt subtilly,” Acts vii. 19.
Those joined in one place with these wise men are the DEW. The name is originally Hebrew, from 12, “preestigias exercuit.” The LXX. render it by pupuwano/, “venefici;” and the Targum by won, “ prestigiator,’ “jugglers, impostors,” and also “ conjurers.” They seem to have pretended unto the revelation or discovery of things secret and hidden; whence the Arabic \w> signifies “ to un- cover,” “to reveal,” “to make known.” Such a sort of impostors the world was always pestered withal, which were of old in great reputation, though now the scorn of the multitude. Probably they had an access unto the administration of things sacred, whence the word in the Syriac denotes “to pray,’ “to administer in things holy,” and “to sacrifice.” The “chartummim” are those unto whom all magical. effects are peculiarly assigned. It doth not appear whether they were a peculiar sect distinct from the other two, or some of them more eminently skilled in magical operations than the rest. The name is foreign to the sacred language, probably Egyptian, though in use also among the Chaldeans, unto whom this diabolical skill and practice were traduced from Egypt. The LXX. render them, Gen. xli. 8, 2nynra/, “interpreters,” according to ~ the matter in hand, it being the interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh which was inquired after, wherein also they boasted their skill. Exod. vii. 11, they render it éraordo/, “ incantatores,” “ en- chanters.” The Vulgar Latin omits the name, and to supply that omission renders D723, “per imcantationes Egyptiacas,” “ by their Egyptian enchantments.” Some render it by “ genethliaci,” which Aben Ezra gives countenance unto on Dan. ii. 2, calling them *»5n nyidnn, “men skilled in casting nativities;” others by “malefici, arioli, magi, necromantici,’ “witches, conjurers, magicians;” Targum, Dwin; in the common translation, Gen. xli. 8, “ magistri,” without any reason. It is plain and evident that they were a sort of per- sons who pretended unto a power of miraculous operation, and made use of their skill and reputation in opposition unto Moses. Their chiefs at that time were Jannes and Jambres, mentioned by our apostle, 2 Tim. iii. 8, as they are likewise spoken of in the Talmud, and are joined with Moses by Pliny, as persons famous in arts ma- gical, It is not unlikely but that this sort of men might have been cast under some disgrace by failing in the interpretation of the dreams of Pharaoh, the knowledge whereof was of so great import- ance unto the whole nation. This being done by Joseph, whose