PROPHETESS

prof'-et-es (nebhi'ah; prophetis): Women were not excluded from the prophetic office in the Old Testament, and were honored with the right of prophetic utterance in the New Testament. It should be noted, however, that women like Miriam (Exodus 15:20), Deborah (Judges 4:4) and Huldah (2 Kings 22:14) were not credited with the seer's insight into the future, but were called "prophetesses" because of the poetical inspiration of their speech. Among others mentioned as having the prophetic gift we find Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1), Anna (Luke 2:36) and the four daughters of Philip (Acts 21:8-9).

See PROPHET, THE OLD .

C. E. Schenk

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.