The Hebrew word naba’ is used very often in the Hebrew Scriptures, which make up our Old Testament. The word is translated to prophesy. A person who prophesies is a prophet or nabi in Hebrew. The first person to be called a prophet in the Bible was Abraham. “Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.” Genesis 20:7. But many other people are called prophets in the Bible. Elijah (1 Kings 18:22), Elisha (2 Kings 9:1), Isaiah (2 Kings 19:2), and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5) are among the most famous. But lesser-known ones are mentioned as well, such as Nathan (1 Chronicles 29:29), Gad (1 Samuel 22:5), and Ahijah (1 Kings 14:2).

What do prophets do? Their main function is to speak on behalf of God, giving His message to humankind. Even Aaron, who spoke on behalf of Moses, was called the prophet of Moses. “And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.” Exodus 7:1. So a prophet is someone who speaks on behalf of another, usually God. But false gods also have their prophets. “Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.” 1 Kings 18:19.

We usually think that prophets speak directly on behalf of God, bringing something new and never heard before. But most of the Bible prophets studied and learned the messages of earlier prophets and prophesied by repeating those messages. Saul met a band of such prophets in 1 Samuel 10:5. The schools of the prophets taught the Scriptures. Most people could not read and there were not many books in those days. The Scriptures were mostly transmitted orally by the prophets or sons of the prophets. There were many people who had this profession. “And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.” 2 Kings 2:7. “For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.” 1 Kings 18:4.

The musicians that David appointed for the temple service were prophets. They sang the holy Scriptures to the accompaniment of musical instruments. “Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals:…” 1 Chronicles 25:1.

Prophets in old times spoke on behalf of God at His appointment. Some of what they spoke was written down and preserved for us as the Bible. But they also served as leaders such as Moses, educators such as Elisha, counselors and guides such as Nathan and Gad.