to call, &c. = to send for. This tells us of the religious system of Babylonia, of which subsequent Jewish commentators and Greek translators would know little or nothing. There were six classes of the Chaldean priesthood.
magicians. Hebrew. chartummim. Connected with the kharutu (the sceptre) or rod of office of those who repelled demons and evil spirits by incantations, &c.
astrologers. Hebrew. 'ashshaphim = in Babylonian, asipi, prophets who assumed to announce the will of heaven and predict the future. These were. class apart from the others. The inscriptions speak of bab. 4 ssaput. the gate of the oracle; also of bit Assaput. the house of the oracle.
sorcerers. Hebrew. m ekashsh phim. wizard (Exodus 7:11; Exodus 22:18, feminine; Deuteronomy 18:10, feminine; Malachi 3:5, feminine)
Chaldeans. Hebrew. Kasdim. See note on Daniel 1:4.