Daniel 3:8

Certain Chaldeans. Obviously members of the caste of magician-scientists and astrologer-astronomers, rather than members of the Chaldean nation as contrasted with citizens of the Jewish nation (see on eh. 1:4). Racial and nationalistic antagonisms were not involved so much as professional envy and jealousy. The accusers were members of the same caste to which the three loyal Jews belonged.

Accused. Aramaic ’akalu qarsehon, a colorful expression, prosaically rendered by the English “accused.” A literal translation would be “they ate the pieces of,” or “they gnawed at,” hence, figuratively, “they calumniated,” “they slandered,” or “they accused.” The Aramaic expression, with a similar meaning, is found also in Akkadian, Ugaritic, and other Semitic languages.