Lexical Definition

‎חַרְטֹם‎ charṭôm (khar-tome') magician ^H:N-M
from the same as ‎חֶרֶט‎

magician.

• a horoscopist (as drawing magical lines or circles)

1) diviner, magician, astrologer
1a) engraver, writer (only in derivative sense of one possessed of occult knowledge)

See Greek: σοφός · φάρμακος

Extended Information

• Aramaic equivalent: char.tom (‎ח‎ַ‎ר‎ְ‎ט‎ֹ‎ם‎ "magician" חַרְטֹם)

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: חַרְטֹם
[‎חַרְטֹם‎] noun masculine^{Exod 7:22} engraver, writer, only in derived sense of one possessed of occult knowledge, diviner, astrologer, magician (probably = ‎ ם‎ + ‎חֶרֶט‎, see Di Ol^{§ 216, 5} Sta^{§§ 295, 327 a}) **the fact that the word is always applied to Egyptian magicians, except Dan 2:2 (late), suggests Egyptian origin, but no agreement among Egyptologists: Harkavy^{Jas., 1870, Mars-Avril, 169} proposes χαρ, speak + tum, hidden = teller of hidden things; Wied^{Samml 44} thinks Hebrew word perhaps imitating an Egyptian cher-‰em-t, he who holds the book; FC Cook^{'Speaker's' Comm. i. 279} proposes cher-tum = bearer of sacred words. — only plural absolute ‎חַרְטֻמִּים‎ Gen 41:24 + 4 t.; ‎חַרְטֻמִּם‎ Exod 8:15*; Exod 9:11 construct ‎חַרְטֻמֵּי‎ Gen 41:8 + 2 t.; —

1. magicians of Egypt Gen 41:8 (E; || ‎חֲכָמִים‎), vGen 41:24 (E), Exod 8:3*; Exod 8:14*; Exod 8:15*; Exod 7:11 (|| ‎חֲכָמִים‎, ‎מְכַשְּׁפִים‎), vExod 7:22; Exod 9:11 (twice in verse) (all P).

2. magicians of Babylon Dan 2:2 (|| ‎אַשָּׁפִים‎, ‎מְכַשְּׁפִים‎, ‎כַּשְׂדִּים‎).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References