Deuteronomy 18:11 - "nor a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer."

The word "wizard" may be translated as the "knowing or wise one," and, whereas the title witch was the name given to a woman who practiced witchcraft, the name wizard was given to a man who did the same thing. However, there was somewhat more involved here than simple witchcraft - it also involved necromancy, or the calling up of the dead, to foretell future events, to cure diseases, to drive out evil spirits, and such.

The whole idea of the communication with the dead was a familiar one to the ancient world. For example, in the Gilgamesh Epic, Gilgamesh conjures up the spirit of Enkidu to inquire abo…