Hebrew word · H5031

נְבִיאָה

nevi'ah

prophetess

The feminine of navi', 'prophet': a person who speaks for God or who is moved by God's spirit. The root is usually linked to an old Semitic word meaning 'to call', so a prophet is either 'one called' or 'one who calls out'.

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) prophetess

1a) ancient type endowed with gift of song (Miriam)

1b) later type consulted for a word (Huldah)

1c) false prophetess (Noadiah)

1d) wife of Isaiah the prophet

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Exodus 15:20

Range of meaning

The feminine of navi', 'prophet': a person who speaks for God or who is moved by God's spirit. The root is usually linked to an old Semitic word meaning 'to call', so a prophet is either 'one called' or 'one who calls out'. The prophetic role covered delivering oracles, mediating between people and God, and in early Israel also inspired, ecstatic speech and music (1 Sam 10:5–6; 1 Chr 25:1–3, where Levites 'prophesy' with lyres, harps and cymbals). Other women in the Hebrew Bible given this title: Deborah (Judg 4:4), Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14), Noadiah (Neh 6:14), and the woman of Isaiah 8:3.

Against the English

English 'prophetess' tends to suggest someone who predicts the future. The KJV, BSB and WEB keep 'prophetess'. Some modern versions say 'the prophet' to avoid the faintly diminishing '-ess'. The YLT's 'the inspired one' gets at the sense of being moved by God's spirit but loses the title.

How it drifted

Popular English narrowed 'prophet' to 'predictor'. In Hebrew, foretelling was only one part of speaking for God.

Used elsewhere in the period

The LXX translates it prophētis. Micah 6:4 lists Moses, Aaron and Miriam together as the leaders God 'sent before you'. In Numbers 12:2 Miriam and Aaron claim that God 'has spoken through us also', which assumes she had a recognised prophetic voice. Later Jewish tradition (b. Megillah 14a) counts her among Israel's seven prophetesses. Female prophets are also known in the wider ancient Near East, for example at Mari and in Assyria.

From the study of Isaiah 8:3

Range of meaning

The feminine of navi', 'prophet': a woman who speaks on God's behalf. In the Hebrew Bible it is used of Miriam (Exod 15:20), Deborah (Judg 4:4), Huldah (2 Kgs 22:14; 2 Chr 34:22), the opposing prophetess Noadiah (Neh 6:14), and Isaiah's wife here.

Against the English

Most versions keep 'the prophetess'. NLT, as far as I can tell, says 'my wife'. That makes the relationship clear but drops the title Isaiah actually used.

Used elsewhere in the period

Apart from this verse, every use of the word refers to a woman who prophesied herself. Some medieval Jewish commentators (e.g., Ibn Ezra) and some modern ones take it here as 'the prophet's wife'. Ancient parallels for wives taking a husband's title do exist (e.g., 'queen' for a king's wife), but there is no other clear biblical case of 'prophetess' used this way.

Where it appears

Exodus · 1

  1. Exodus 15:20 הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה the prophetess

    Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.

    Here: The feminine form of navi', 'prophet'. With 'the', it is a recognised title, not a passing description. She is the first person in the Bible called a prophet in a narrative (Abraham is called one only in passing, Gen 20:7). Here the role shows itself as leading the people in inspired song.

Judges · 1

  1. Judges 4:4 נְבִיאָ֔ה a prophetess

    Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.

2 Kings · 1

  1. 2 Kings 22:14 הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה the prophetess

    So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.

2 Chronicles · 1

  1. 2 Chronicles 34:22 הַנְּבִיאָ֜ה the prophetess

    So Hilkiah and those the king had designated went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.

Nehemiah · 1

  1. Nehemiah 6:14 הַנְּבִיאָה֙ the prophetess

    O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who tried to intimidate me.

Isaiah · 1

  1. Isaiah 8:3 הַנְּבִיאָ֔ה the prophetess

    And I had relations with the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. The LORD said to me, “Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

    Here: This is the female form of 'prophet', with 'the' attached. Isaiah does not give her personal name. He calls her by a title, and the title elsewhere always means a woman who prophesies herself (Miriam, Deborah, Huldah). That leaves the question of whether it is her own office or a courtesy title as the prophet's wife (see debates).

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.