Isai. 8. 19.
3. The words of the Prophet, where he saith [And when they shall say unto you, seek unto them that are Ob or Oraclers, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?] do fully prove as much; for the sense must be this: That the people of God ought to seek unto their own God, who was and is a true and a living God, and to his Law & Testimonies, and not to those peepers and mutterers that seek counsel of the dead Idols only; and doubtless this is the true meaning of consulting the dead.
4. This exposition includeth no absurdity, nor bringeth any inconvenience, and is genuine, and not wrested; whereas the other doth hurry in a whole heap of most absurd doubts, questions and opinions. But if in this exposition we be Heterodoxal, we crave pardon, and referr it to the judgment of those that are learned, of what perswasion soever they be.
In Dan. c. 1. v. 20. p. 87.
10. Another word that is used in divers places of Scripture is חַרְטֻמִּים, which though Avenarius doth derive from חֶרֶט stilus & אָטַם clausit, yet the learned person Masius saith, Est autem aliarum nationum vocabulum, ab Hebræa lingua alienum & peregrinum, usurpatum tamen ab Hebræis. And also the judicious Polanus is of the same opinion, that it is a word strange and foreign from the Hebrew language. The Translators are all so various about the proper derivation and signification of it, that it were but lost time and labour to recite them: But it is manifest that it was a general word for one that was skilful in all, or divers sorts of these Divinations, and might best be constantly rendred magos, and that for these reasons.
A Candle in the dark, p. 11.
1. It is the opinion of Masius and Mr. Ady that it is a general word, and signifieth one that hath skill in many of these kind of arts, (if they may be so called) the latter of which saith thus: “It is taken in the general sense for magus a Magician; that hath one, or all these crafts or Impostures.” And the former quoting the sentence of Rabbi Isaac Natar, saith: Hoc nomine vocatos esse ab Hebræis quosvis, qui inter gentes singularem profitebantur sapientiam; præsertim cùm ea ad superstitionem pertineret.
2. Because that in Exodus 7. 13. those that there are called Hachamim and Mechassephim, that is sapientes & præstigiatores, as Tremellius renders it, which is most proper and genuine, are there called Hartummim Mezeraim, that is Magos Ægypti, the Magicians of Ægypt; by which it appeareth plainly that it is a general name, and may most properly be rendered a Magician.
3. It may most properly be taken for a Magician, because those that acted before Pharaoh are called by that name, and excepting their opposing of Moses, and their superstition, it doth not appear that they dealt with unlawful Magick, as we shall prove undeniably hereafter.
2 Sam. 12. 19.