A prophet or (generally) inspired man
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נָבִיא is the OT's title for those whom YHWH called to speak His word into Israel's history — not at their own initiative but under compulsion, often at great personal cost. Amos 7:14-15 is the normative self-portrait: 'I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman...
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Full entry for נָבִיא (H5030) · Open the biblical lexicon
נָבִיא is the OT's title for those whom YHWH called to speak His word into Israel's history — not at their own initiative but under compulsion, often at great personal cost. Amos 7:14-15 is the normative self-portrait: 'I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman...
The BSB source-word alignment has 316 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include The prophet (87), the prophets (51), of the prophets (17), prophets (17), a prophet (14).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 20:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (95), 1 Kings (50), 2 Kings (33), 2 Chronicles (26).
נָבִיא is the OT's title for those whom YHWH called to speak His word into Israel's history — not at their own initiative but under compulsion, often at great personal cost. Amos 7:14-15 is the normative self-portrait: 'I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman... and the Lord took me from following the flock and the Lord said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
The נָבִיא does not choose the role; he is chosen for it. The prophets stand in two postures: intercession (standing before YHWH on Israel's behalf, like Abraham in Gen 20:7 — the first occurrence of נָבִיא in the OT) and proclamation (standing before Israel on YHWH's behalf). Both are present in Moses, who is the paradigm נָבִיא. Deut 18:15 promises a prophet like Moses — and the NT reads that promise as arriving in Jesus, who speaks with the authority of YHWH directly ('you have heard it said...
But I say to you') and in whom the intercessory and proclamatory dimensions of the office are fulfilled simultaneously.
The local OT index currently counts about 317 uses of נָבִיא. Key theological texts are Deut 18:15-22 (the charter), Num 11:29 (Moses' longing that all would prophesy), Gen 20:7 (Abraham as the first נָבִיא), and Amos 7:14 (the reluctant prophet).
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.
The programmatic promise. Three elements: (1) like Moses — the comparison sets the standard; (2) from among you — an Israelite, not an angel; (3) to him you shall listen — the command that identifies the prophet's authority as YHWH's own. Acts 3:22-23 and 7:37 apply this directly to Jesus. The entire prophetic tradition of the OT is standing under this promise — and the NT reads it as fulfilled.
Since that time, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face—
The epitaph on Moses as the standard. 'Known face to face' describes the intimacy of Moses' access to YHWH that no subsequent נָבִיא has matched — until Jesus, who is not merely a prophet known face to face but the Son who is in the Father's bosom (John 1:18). The epitaph is both a closure and a forward-pointing gap.
Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”
The first use of נָבִיא in the OT — and it is Abraham, identified not primarily as a predictor but as an intercessor. The נָבִיא is one who can pray for the king and his household and secure their life. This inaugural use grounds the prophet's office in intercession before proclamation.
“I was not a prophet,” Amos replied, “nor was I the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore-fig trees.
The נָבִיא's self-disclaimer: the office is not inherited, not professional, not self-chosen. YHWH took Amos from the flock (v.15). This pattern — ordinary person, extraordinary call, word not their own — is the signature of genuine prophecy, as distinct from the professional prophets who say what the king wants to hear (1 Kgs 22:7-8).
But Moses replied, “Are you jealous on my account? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would place His Spirit on them!”
Moses' longing that all Israel would be נְבִיאִים — the eschatological hope that Joel 2:28-29 ('I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy') fulfills, and that Acts 2 announces as arrived.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Hebrew word. One who speaks forth God's word with divine authority; messenger of divine will, not merely predictor of future events
One who speaks forth God's word with divine authority; messenger of divine will, not merely predictor of future events
a prophet or (generally) inspired man BDB: spokesman Usage: prophecy, that prophesy, prophet.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 317 lexical occurrence verses.
נָבִיא is built from this root:
False prophetic guidance magnifies communal deception and accountability. Hosea 12:7-14
Instrument of divine revelation. Isaiah 9:13-17
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Deut 18:15's promise — 'a prophet like me' — is the OT's own admission that Moses is not the final word. He is the standard; someone greater is coming. Jesus' 'but I say to you' in the Sermon on the Mount is the fulfillment of the Mosaic office taken to its highest register: not mediated speech ('thus says the Lord') but direct authority ('I say'). The prophet who was the spokesman for God becomes God Himself speaking.
Every נָבִיא in between was a partial anticipation; Jesus is the arrival. Every OT prophet pointed forward toward the promised one; the NT gospel announces that the pointing has at last been fulfilled.
Deut.18.15
Exod 7:1-2 is the representative functional picture: 'See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet (נָבִיא). You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh.' The נָבִיא is the mouthpiece — the word originates with YHWH, passes through the prophet, and reaches the audience. This chain of communication is what distinguishes the true נָבִיא from the false: the false prophet generates the word from his own heart (Ezek 13:2, 'who prophesy from their own hearts').
The OT chain: Abraham the intercessor (Gen 20:7) → Moses the face-to-face spokesman (Deut 34:10) → the promise of a prophet like Moses (Deut 18:15) → the writing prophets as partial fulfillments → Jesus identified as 'the prophet' (John 6:14; 7:40) → Acts 3:22-23 (Peter: 'Moses said, The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me') → Heb 1:1-2 ('in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son') → Rev 19:10 ('the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy'). Every נָבִיא was a partial disclosure; Jesus is the full word.
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