'Wise Men' in the Bible

So when morning came his spirit was troubled and disturbed and he sent and called for all the magicians and all the wise men of Egypt. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them to him.

Then Pharaoh called for the wise men [skilled in magic and omens] and the sorcerers [skilled in witchcraft], and they also, these magicians (soothsayer-priests) of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts and enchantments.

Then the king spoke to the wise men who understood the times [asking for their advice]—for it was the custom of the king to speak before all those who were familiar with law and legal matters—

Then Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise counselors and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall in status, is of Jewish heritage, you will not overcome him, but will certainly fall before him.”

“Oh, that you would be completely silent,And that silence would be your wisdom!

What wise men have [freely] told,And have not hidden [anything passed on to them] from their fathers,

“Hear my words, you wise men,And listen to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.

For he sees that even wise men die;The fool and the stupid alike perishAnd leave their wealth to others.

Wise men store up and treasure knowledge [in mind and heart],But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.

He who walks [as a companion] with wise men will be wise,But the companions of [conceited, dull-witted] fools [are fools themselves and] will experience harm.

In the mouth of the [arrogant] fool [who rejects God] is a rod for his back,But the lips of the wise [when they speak with godly wisdom] will protect them.

Scoffers set a city afire [by stirring up trouble],But wise men turn away anger [and restore order with their good judgment].

The words of wise men heard in quietness are better than the shouting of one who rules among fools.

Where then are your wise men?Please let them tell you,And let them understand what the Lord of hostsHas purposed against Egypt [if they can].

Therefore, listen carefully, I will again do marvelous and amazing things with this people, wonderful and astonishing things;And the wisdom of their wise men will perish,And the understanding of their discerning men will be hidden.”

“The wise men are shamed,They are dismayed and caught.Behold, they have [manipulated and] rejected the [truth in the] word of the Lord,And what kind of wisdom and insight do they have?

“A sword against the Chaldeans,” says the Lord,“And against the inhabitants of BabylonAnd against her princes (officials, civic rulers) and against her wise men (astrologers, religious rulers)!

“I will make her princes and her wise men drunk,Her governors and her commanders and her mighty warriors;They will sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake up,”Says the King—the Lord of hosts is His name.

“The inhabitants of Sidon and [the island] of Arvad were your oarsmen;Your skilled and wise men, O Tyre, were with you; they were your pilots.

“The elders of Gebal and its skilled and wise men were with you, repairing your leaks;All the ships of the sea with their mariners were with you to deal in your merchandise.

Because of this the king was indignant and extremely furious and gave a command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

So the decree went out that the wise men were to be killed; and they looked for Daniel and his companions to put them to death.

Then Daniel replied with discretion and wisdom to Arioch, the captain of the king’s bodyguard, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon;

in order that they might seek compassion from the God of heaven regarding this secret, so that Daniel and his companions would not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.

So Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon; he went and said this to him: “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon! Bring me before the king, and I will reveal to the king the interpretation [of his dream].”

Daniel answered the king and said, “Regarding the mystery about which the king has inquired, neither the wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor astrologers are able to answer the king,

Then the king promoted Daniel [to an exalted position] and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and chief governor over all the wise men of Babylon.

So I gave orders to bring in before me all the wise men of Babylon, so that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.

This is the dream which I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, explain its meaning, since none of the wise men of my kingdom are able to reveal its interpretation to me; but you are able, for a spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

The king called aloud to bring in the enchanters (Magi), the Chaldeans [who were master astrologers] and the diviners. The king said to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever can read this writing and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold put around his neck, and have authority as the third ruler in the kingdom.”

Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or reveal to the king its interpretation.

Now the wise men and the enchanters, were brought in before me so that they might read this writing and reveal its meaning to me, but they could not give the interpretation of the message.

“Will I not on that day,” says the Lord,“Destroy the wise men from Edom [removing all wisdom]And understanding from the mountain of Esau?