Among writers in English we may especially name the following: Sherlock, Discourses on the Use and In- tent of Prophecy (1755, 8vo) ; Hurd, Introd. to the Study of the Prophecies, etc. (1772, 8vo) ; Apthorp, Discourses on Prophecy (1786, 2 vols. 8vo) ; Davison, Discourses on Prophecy (1821, 8vo); Smith (J. Pye), Principles of Interpretation as applied to the Prophecies of Holy Scripture (1829, 8vo); Brooks, Elements of Prophetical Interpretation (1837, 12mo); Alexander, Connection of the Old and New Testaments (1841, 8vo), lect. iv-vii, p. 168-382; Lowth, De Sacra Pasi Hebrceorum (Oxon. 1821, and transl. by Gregory, Lond. 1835) ; Horsley, Bib- lical Criticism (Lond. 1820) ; Home, Introduction to Holy Scripture (Lond. 1828), ch. iv, § 3; Van Mildert, Boyle Lectures (Lond. 1831), § xxii ; Fairbairn, Prophecy: its Nature, Functions, and Interpretation (Edinb. 1856); M'Caul, Aids to Faith (Lond. 1861): Smith (K. Payne), Messianic Interpretation of the Prophecies of Isaiah (Oxf. 1862) ; Davidson. Introduction to the Old Testament (Lond. 1862), ii. 422: Stanley, Lectures on the Jewish Church (Lond. 1863); Maurice, The Prophets and Kings of the Old Testament (rep. Bost. 1853); Stuart, Hints on the Interpretation of Prophecy (Andover, 1844) ; Arnold, On the Interpretation of Prophecy (in his Works, Lond. 1845, i, 373 sq.); Taylor, Spirit of Hebrew Poetry (rep. N. Y. 1862). See also Journ. Sacred Literature, Oct. 1862; Meth. Quar. Rev. April, 1862; Alford, Greek Test. (note on "Acts" xiii, 41); the monographs cited by Volbeding, Index Programmatum, p. 22, 43, 44; by Hase, Leben Jesu, p. 103; by Danz, Worterb. p. 793; by Darling, Cyclopaedia. Bibliographica, col. 1785 sq.; and under the art. Prophets, Major and Minor.
Prophetess (!~l>023, nebidh, Trpo(f>r\Tic, Exod. xv, 20 ; Luke ii. 36). Among the remarkable women who appear to have exercised the gift of prophecy, we find Miriam (Exod. xv, 20) ; Deborah ; Hannah (1 Sam. ii, 1) ; Huldah (2 Kings xxii, 14); the wife of Isaiah (Isa. viii, 3) ; Anna (Luke ii, 36) ; and the four daughters of Philip (Acts xxi, 8, 9). Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and others were called prophetesses, not because they were supposed to be gifted with a knowledge of futurity, like the seers, but because they possessed a poetical in- spiration ; and inspired (especially sacred) poetry was al- ways deemed of supernatural and divine origin. See Prophet.
Prophets, False. As Moses had foretold, a host of false prophets arose in later times among the He- brews, who promised prosperity without repentance, and predicted after "the deceit of their own hearts" (Deut. xiii, 1-5; Jer. xiv, 14-16; xxiii, 9-27). According to Deut. xviii, 20-22, a false prophet was punished capi- tally, being stoned to death. There were two cases in which a person was held convicted of the crime, and consequently liable to its punishment : 1. If a prophet spoke in the name of Jehovah, he was tolerated, so long as he remained unconvicted of imposture, even though he threatened calamity to the state. He might be im- prisoned (Jer. xxvi, 8-16; 1 Kings xxii, 1-28), but could not legally be put to death, unless a prediction of
his failed of accomplishment; then he was regarded as an impostor, and stoned. 2. If a person prophesied in the name of any other god, whether his prediction was accomplished or not, he was, at all events, considered a false prophet, and, as such, capitally punished. In the kingdom of Israel, Ahab could muster four hundred prophets of Baal at a time (1 Kings xxii, 6). In still later times false prophets, uttering the suggestions of their own imagination, abounded in the Church, and did much mischief (Malt, vii, 15 ; xxiv, 11 ; Mark xiii,- 22 ; Luke vi, 26 ; 2 Pet. ii, 1 ; 1 John iv, 1). See Mes- siahs, False.
Prophets, French. See Camisard.
Prophets, Major and Minor. We have in the Old Testament the writings of sixteen prophets; that is, of four greater and twelve lesser prophets. The four greater prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The Jews do not properly place Daniel among the prophets, because (they say) he lived in the splen- dor of temporal dignities, and led a kind of life different from other prophets. The twelve lesser prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Mala- chi. The collectors of the canon arranged the prophets chronologically, but considered the whole of the twelve lesser prophets as one work, which they placed after Jeremiah and Ezekiel, inasmuch as the last three lesser prophets lived later than they. Daniel, as above ob- served, was placed in the Hagiographa, because he had not filled the prophetic office. The collection of the lesser prophets themselves was again intended to be chronologically disposed; still Hosea is, on account of the extent of his work, allowed precedence before those lesser prophets who, generally, were his contemporaries, and also before those who flourished at a somewhat earlier period. It is the opinion of Hengstenberg i Christology, iv, 235) and ofPusey (M inor Prophets, pt; i, introd.) that the writings of the Minor Prophets are actually placed chronologically. Accordingly, the for- mer arranges the list of the prophets as follows: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah. Micah, Isaiah ("the prin- cipal prophetical figure in the first or Assyrian period of canonical prophetism"), Nahum. Habakkuk, Zepha- niah, Jeremiah ("the principal prophetical figure in the second or Babylonian period of canonical prophetism"), Ezekiel. Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Calmet (Diet. Bibl. s. v. "Prophet") as follows: Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum. Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Joel, Daniel, Ezekiel, Habakkuk. Obadiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Stanley (Lect. xix) in the follow- ing order: Joel, Jonah, Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Zechariah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk. Obadiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Daniel, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. Hence it appears that Stanley recognises two Isaiahs and two Zechariahs. unless "the author of Isa. xl-lxvi is regarded as the older Isaiah transported into a style and position later than bis own time" (p. 423). Obadiah is generally considered to have lived at a later date than is compatible with a chronological arrange- ment of the canon, in consequence of his reference to the capture of Jerusalem. But such an inference is not necessary, for the prophet might have thrown himself in imagination forward to the date of his prophecy (Hengstenberg); or the words which, as translated by the A. V., are a remonstrance as to the past, may be really but an imperative as to the future (Pusey). For the various questions relating to each person and book, see the several names in their alphabetical places. See also Bible.