Among the Greeks and Romans they were known under the name of ChahhTans (Strabo, xvi, 7C2 ; Diog. Laert. Procem. 1), and also of magi (Diog. Laert. viii, 1, 3). They lived scattered over the land in different places (Stral)O, xvi, 739; compare Dan. ii. 14), and had possessions of their own. The temple of Belus was em- ployed by them for astronomical observations, but their astronomy was connected witli the worship of the heav- enly bodies practiced by the Babylonians (Diod. Sic. ii, 31 ; Ephracm Synis, Op. ii, 488; consult Ideler, in the Transiicthms: nf Ike hi 7-Iin Academy for 1824-25), and was specially directed to vain attempts to foretell the future, predict the fate of individuals or of comnnniities, and sway tlie present, in alliance with augury, incanta- tion, and magic (Aid. (Jell, iii, 10, 9; xiv, 1 ; Am. Mar- cell, xxiii, 6 ; p. 352, ed. Bipont ; Diod. Sic. ii, 29 ; corajj. Isa. xlvii, 9, 13 ; Dan. ii).
MAGI
635
MAGI
IV. Position occupied hy the Magi in the period covered hj the History of the 0. T. — In the Hebrew text the word occurs but twice, and then only incidentally. In Jer. xxxix, 3 and 13 we meet, among the ChaUhean otHcers sent by Nebuchadnezzar to Jerusalem, one with the name or title of Rab-Mag (5'2~a'1). This word is interpret- ed, after the analogy of Rab-shakeh and Eab-saris, as equivalent to chief of the magi (Ewald, Propheten, and Hitzig, ad loc, taking it as the title of Nergal-Sharezer), and we thus find both tiie name and the order occupying a conspicuous place under the government of the Chal- da3ans. It is clear that there were various kinds of wise men, and it is probable that these were classes belong- ing to one great order, which comprised, under the gen- eral name of magi, all who were engaged in the service of religion; so that we find here an ample priesthood, a sacred college, graduated in rank and honor (see Ber- tholdt, 3 Exacrs. zuin Ban.; Gesenius, Comment, on Isa. ii,35i sq.). The word Kab-Mag (if the received etymol- ogy of magi be correct) presents a hybrid formation. The first syllable is unquestionably Shemitic, the last is all but imquestionably Aryan. The problem thus pre- sented admits of two solutions : (1.) If we believe the Chaldreans to have been a Hamitic people, closely con- nected with the Babylonians [see Chald.ean], we must then suppose that the colossal schemes of great- ness which showed themselves in Nebuchadnezzar's con- quests led him to gather round him the wise men and religious teachers of the nations which he subdued, and that thus the sacred tribes of the Modes rose under his rule to favor and power. His treatment of those who bore a like character among the Jews (Dan. i, 4) makes this hypothesis a natural one ; and the alliance which existed between the Jledes and the Chaldreans at the time of the overthrow of the old Assyrian empire woidd account for the intermixture of religious systems be- longing to two different races. (2.) If, on the other hand, with Kenan (^IJistoire des Langues Shemiliqites, p. 66, 67), foUowhig Lassen and Ritter, we look on the Chal- diBans as themselves belonging to the xVr^-an family, and possessing strong afiinities with the Medes, there is even less difiiculty in explaining the presence among tlio one people of the religious teachers of the other. It is like- ly enough, in either case, that the simpler Median relig- ion which the magi brought with them, correspcjnding more or less closely to the faith of the Zend-Avesta, lost some measure of its original purity through this contact with the darker superstitions of the old Babylonian pop- ulation. From this time onward it is noticeable that the names, both of the magi and Chaldreans are identi- fied with the astrology, divination, and interpretation of dreams, which had impressed themselves on the proph- ets of Israel as the most characteristic features of the old Babel religion (Isa. xliv, 25; xlvii, 13). The magi took their places among "the astrologers, and star- gazers, and monthl}' prognosticators."
It is with such men that we have to think of Daniel and his fellow-exiles as associated. They are described as " ten times wiser than all the magicians (Sept. /(oyoi'f) and astrologers" (Dan. i, 20). Daniel himself so far sym- pathizes witli the order into which he is tluis, as it were, enrolled, as to intercede for them when Neljuchadnezzar gives the order for their death (Dan. ii, 24), and accepts an office which, as making him •' master of the magi- cians, astrologers, Chaldteans, soothsayers" (Dan. v, 11), was probably identical with that of the Rab-:Mag who first came before us. ]\Iay we conjecture that hefound in the belief which the magi had brought with them some elements of the truth that had been revealed to his fathers, and that the way was thus prepared for the strong sympathy which showed itself in a hundred ways when the purest Aryan and the purest Shemitic faitiis were brought face to face with each other (Dan. vi, 3, 16, 26; Ezra i, 1-4; Isa. xliv, 28). agreeing as they did in their hatred of idolatry and iii their acknowledg-ment of the " God of Heaven ?" The acts which accompanied his appointment serve as illustrations of the high rever-