The prophets mentioned in the Old Test, besides Moses (Deut. xviii, 15; xxxiv, 10), and those whose books remain in the canon, are the following, nearly in chronological order: Samuel, (iad, Nathan [see these names], the two latter under David and Solomon ; Ahi- jah, Shemaiah,Iddo (1 Kings xi, 29; xii,22; xiv,4sq.; 2 Chron. xii, 15; xiii, 22), under Kehoboam and Jero- boam; Azariah, Hananiah, Jehu, Micah, Jehaziel, Eli- ezer, Oded (2 Chron. xv, 1,8; xvi, 7 ; xx, 37 ; 1 Kings xvi, 1 ; xxii, 8), under Asa, Baasha, and Jehoshaphat ; Elijah, Elisha, Micah, under Ahab and successors ; Zech-
ariah (2 Chron. xxiv, 20), under Jchoash ; Jonah, under Jeroboam II (2 Kings xiv, 25); Oded, under Ahaz (2 Chron. xxviii, 9); Uriah, under Joiachim (Jer. xxvi, 20); besides three prophetesses— Deborah (Judg. iv, 4), lliddah, a married woman (2 Kings xxii, 14), and Noa- diah (Neh. vi, 14), a false prophetess. A far greater number are named, of both sexes, by Clement Alexan- drinus {Strom, i, 145; he gives thirty -five), Epipha- nius (in Coteler's Not. in Can. Apost. iv, 6, serenty-tico), and the Jews (Seder Olam, p. 21, forty-eiijht prophets, seven prophetesses). But they act in thiswithout any settled principle, including almost every man of note in the Old Test, among the prophets. Prophecy disap- peared on the new establishment of the Jews in Pales- tine ; and, indeed, the last prophets are thought to show less of the living inspiration than the earlier ones; and, after the erection of the second Temple, no seer"s voice was heard, although the return of the prophets was hoped for continually (1 Mace, iv, 46; xiv, 41). Ac- cording to the Talmudists the Bath kol sometimes took the place of prophecy. (Comj). Buxtorf, Lex. Talm. s. v. P3, and Otho, Lex. Rab. p. 82 sq. ; see also Schottgen, Bor. Hebr. i, 379, on the unconscious soothsaying of the rabbins.. It has been applied to John xi, 51. That in 1 Pet. i, 10 is different.) So entirely was the old in- spiration lost that even the patriotism of the Maccabees called forth nothing bevond military heroism. The birth and consecration of the Prince of the Prophets evoked inspired utterances from but two (Luke i, 67; ii, 36). The appearance of Jesus even awakened false prophets, and, during the war of extermination between the Greeks and Komans," prophet" was synonymous with deceiver and seducer of the people. Only a few scat- tered utterances of soothsayers occur in the centuries following the captivity (Josephus, Ant. xiii, 10, 7; xiii, 11,2; comp. War, vi, 5, 3). See Glirtler, Sy sterna Theol. Proph. (Amst. 1702); Witsii Miscel. Sucr. bk. i, in 24 chapters, on prophets and prophecy ; Carpzov, Introd. in V. T. p. 1 sq., and his Appar. p. 1 13 sq. ; Eichhorn, Einleit. ins A . T. iv, § 512 sq. ; Jahn, Einleit. II, ii, 324 sq. ; Nie- meyer, Churakt. v, 245 sq. ; Herder, Geist der hebr. P. ii, 41 sq. ; Horst, Ueber die Proph. der alten Welt, etc. (Gotha, 1798) ; Stutzmann, Geist v. Charakt. d. hebr. Proph. (Carlsr. 1805) ; GramheTg, Relif/ionsid. ii, 246 sq.; Von Colin, in Eiiphron. (1833) pt. i, ch. v; Knobel, Z>er Prophetism. d. Heb. (Bresl. 1837) ii, 8; Koster, Die Propheten d. A. v. N'. Test, nach ihren Wesen u. Wirken (Leips. 1838) ; Ewald, L'ropheten d. alt. Bund. (Stuttg. 1840) i, 1 sq. ; Hiivernick, Einleit. ins A. T. II, ii, 1 sq. ; Baur, Amos ((iiess. 1847), p. 1 sq. ; Hofmann, Weis- sag. i, 253 sq. The writings of Dorotheus (ed. Fabric. [Hamb. 1714]) contain traditions of the oldest prophets. So those of an unknown writer (Z*? ]'itis Prophet.), some- times ascribed to Eiii])hanius. Comp. Hamaker, Com- ment, in Libr. de Vita et Morte Prophet. (Amst. 1833).
On the meaning of the word "prophet" in the New Test., see the dictionaries. The name was given to certain Christians of both sexes (1 Cor. xi, 5; comp. Acts xxi, 9) who spoke in the public assembly (1 Cor. xi, 4; xiv, 29), who were distinguished from apostles and teachers (xii, 28; xiv, 6; Eph.ii, 20; iv, 11; comji. Acts xiii, 1 ; Neander. Pjlanz. i, 205). Prophecy was, among the charismata, a spiritual gift of the Holy Spirit (Kom. xii, 6; 1 Cor. xii, 10), and stood next to that of speaking with tongues (xii, 10; xiii, 8; xiv, 22; comp. Acts xix, 6), but is pointed out by Paul as more efficacious for the edifying of the Church (1 Cor. xiv, 3 sq., 22). See, in general. Van Dale, I)e Jdolol. p. 201 sq.; Mosheim, De I His qui Proph. Vocantvr in N. T. (Helmst. 1732) ; also in his Dissert, ad Hist. Eccl. ii, 125 sq. ; Knapp [(i.], De Dono Proph. in Eccl. N. T. (Halle, 1755); Zacharias, De Donor. Proph, Variis Grad. in Eccl. Christ, ((iott. 1767); Koppe, 3. Exc. zum BrieJ" an die Eph. p. 148 sq. Thus prophets are those Christians who, seized by a momentary inspiration (Acts xix, 6), discoursed to the assembly in their own tongue (comp.
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1 Cor. xiv, 5, 24) on divine things, perhaps not unlike preachers among the Ciuakers. (On the distinction be- tween these and those who spoke with tongues, see xiv, 32; Neander, Pjlaiiz. d. Christ, i, 52, 183 sij., 205.) The prediction of events to come was not the office of these prophets, yet they had some insight into the future of the Church. Comp. the Revelation of .John ; Crusius [B.], Opusc. p. 101 sq. ; Liicke, Vulht. Khd. in die OJ'eub. Joh. (Bonn, 1832). — Winer. See Pkoimiet.