Biblical Prophets

Prophets are first and foremost 'proclaimers'. This seems to be the primary meaning of the Hebrew word nabi, as applied to the vast majority of biblical prophets. In most cases they were believed to have supernatural powers, but they are distinguished from diviners, sorcerers, necromancers, and the like, for which various other Hebrew terms are regularly used (cf. Deut. 18: 10-11). Their special status is indicated by two other distinctive terms used in a number of passages, 'men of God' (e.g. 1 Sam. 9; 1 Kgs. 13) and 'servants of God' (e.g. 2 Kgs. 21: 10; 24: 2). But the chief word throughout the Hebrew Bible is nabi, and it is a measure of the distinctiveness of the phenomenon that the word has been borrowed by English, where 'nabi' and 'nabism' are occasionally used in preference to the nearest English equivalents.

The form of the narrative is affected by the writer's purpose. He may wish to emphasize the fact of the experience rather than its verbal or visionary content. This is true, for example, of Jeremiah's claims that the false prophets had not 'stood in the council of the Lord' (23: 18), with the implication that he himself had. Apocalyptic literature developed the imagery and symbolism of the description. Medieval writers attempted to analyse the 'dark night of the soul', perhaps to help others to cope with the experience if it happened to them. Others wished to glorify an individual saint. In the case of Job 1-2, the description is almost incidental to the main story, while in Daniel it is a measure of the martyr's faith in times of crisis. In the case of the biblical prophets, mystical experiences of this kind are recorded with one primary aim, the authentication of their message. But behind this variety of literary form the reality of the prophet's experience can hardly be questioned.

Shemaiah's brief prophecies have an impact on the history of Jerusalem reminiscent of that of Jonah upon Nineveh (2 Chr. 12). Azariah ben Oded, like Haggai and Zechariah, inspired the king to undertake far-reaching religious reforms (2 Chron. 15: 1-18). His contemporary Hanani the seer was put in the stocks for prophesying against Asa because he 'relied on the king of Syria , and did not rely on the Lord your God' (2 Chr. 16:7-10). Prophets are credited with having recorded the history of events at Jerusalem : Samuel, Nathan, and Gad (1 Chr. 29:29); Ahijah the Shlonite and Iddo the Seer (2 Chr. 9:29); and Shemaiah (2 Chr. 12:15). His son Jehu soberly interprets contemporary history for the edification of Asa's northern neighbour Baasha, king of Israel (1 Kgs. 16:1-17). These references add little to our overall picture of the biblical prophets; indeed in all probability they are modelled by the author on better-known examples discussed elsewhere. But they do illustrate the author's keen interest in the prophets, and the role of the word of God in the history of his people.

Some have argued that Paul himself should be described as a prophet, taking into account his election 'from the womb' ( Gal. 1: 15; cf. Isa. 49:1; Jer. 1:5), his call (e.g. Acts 9; cf. Ezek. 1-2; Dan. 7:9 ff.), his heavenly vision ( 2 Cor. 12:2-4; cf. Isa. 6; Jer. 23:18), and the like. He is compared to the biblical prophets, both in Acts (e.g. Acts 13:47; 8:26) and in his own writings (e.g. Gal. 1:15 f.), and perhaps he has himself in mind when he contrasts 'prophetic powers' with the power of love in 1 Corinthians 13.

The prophets, however, are central to Islam. They include not only Abraham (cf. Gen. 20:7), Elijah, Jonah, and other biblical prophets, but also Adam, Noah, Joseph, Job, Aaron, David (cf. also Acts 2:30), Solomon, and other biblical characters (e.g. Surah 21).