Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)/Wise men

by Matthew George Easton

Wise men: mentioned in Daniel 2:12 included three classes,

1. astrologers,
2. Chaldeans, and
3. soothsayers. The word in the original (hakamim) probably means "medicine men. In Chaldea medicine was only a branch of magic. The "wise men" of Matthew 2:7, who came from the East to Jerusalem, were magi from Persia or Arabia