Biblical Bibliographies
Charles Conroy [www.cjconroy.net]



Biblical Designations for Prophets


The bibliography is divided into four main sections as follows:

I.    Overall studies on the terminology for prophets

Gonçalves, F. J., "Les 'prophètes écrivains' étaient-ils des nby’ym?", in P. M. Daviau – J. W. Wevers – M. Weigl (eds.), The World of the Aramaeans, I: Biblical Studies in Honour of Paul-Eugène Dion (JSOTSup 324; Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001) 144-185.

Jong, M. J. de, Isaiah Among the Ancient Near Eastern Prophets: A Comparative Study of the Earliest Stages of the Isaiah Tradition and the Neo-Assyrian Prophecies (VTSup 117; Leiden: Brill, 2007) espec. 319-322.

Petersen, D. L., The Roles of Israel's Prophets (JSOTSup 17; Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1981).

Ramlot, L., "Prophétisme", DBSup 8 (1972) 914-934 (Hebrew terminology); 934-943 (Greek terminology).

II.    The term nābî’ and its usage

1.   The noun and its etymology

Albright, W. F., From the Stone Age to Christianity. Monotheism and the Historical Process (Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1940). Second edition with a new introduction (pp. 1-23) by the author (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1957): on the etymology question see 303 (1st ed. material) and 17 (2nd ed. material).

Curtis, J. B., "A Folk Etymology of nābî’", VT 29 (1979) 491-493.

Fenton, T. L., "Deuteronomistic Advocacy of the nābî’: 1 Samuel IX 9 and Questions of Israelite Prophecy", VT 47 (1997) 23-42.

Fleming, D., "Nābû and munabbiātu: Two New Syrian Religious Personnel", JAOS 113 (1993) 175-183.

Fleming, D., "The Etymological Origins of the Hebrew nābî’: The One Who Invokes God", CBQ 55 (1993) 217-224.

Fleming, D. E., "Prophets and Temple Personnel in the Mari Archives" in L. L. Grabbe – A. O. Bellis (eds.), The Priests in the Prophets. The Portrayal of Priests, Prophets and Other Religious Specialists in the Latter Prophets (JSOTSup 408; London: T & T Clark, 2004) 44-64. [see espec. 61-64 "Addendum: On the Etymology of nābū and nābî’"]

Görg, M., "Der Nabi’ – 'Berufener' oder 'Seher'?", BN 17 (1982) 23-25.

Görg, M., "Weiteres zu Etymologie von nābī’", BN 22 (1983) 9-11.

Görg, M., "Randbemerkungen zum jüngsten Lexikonartikel zu nābī’", BN 26 (1985) 7-16.

Görg, M., "Addenda zur Diskussion um nābī’", BN 31 (1986) 25-26.

Huehnergard, J., "On the Etymology and Meaning of Hebrew nābî’", in B. A. Levine et al. (eds.), Frank Moore Cross Volume (Eretz-Israel. Archaeological, Historical and Geographical Studies, 26; Jerusalem: The Israel Exploration Society, 1999) 88*-93*.

Jeremias, J., "נָבִיא nābī’ Prophet", THAT II (1976) 7-26. [For English, Italian, and Spanish translations see here]

Müller, H.-P., "נָבִיא nābî’", TWAT V (1986) 140-163. [published in fascicle form in 1984] [For English and Italian translations see here]

Müller, H.-P., "Zur Herleitung von nābî’", BN 29 (1985) 22-27.

Müller, W. W., "Südsemitische Marginalien zur Etymologie von nābī’", BN 32 (1986) 31-37.

Rendtorff, R., "προφήτης κτλ : B. נָבִיא im Alten Testament", TWNT VI (1959) 796-813. [For English and Italian translations see here]

Vawter, B., "Were the Prophets nabîs?", Bib 66 (1985) 206-220.

Waschke, E.-J., "Der Nabi. Anmerkungen zu einem Titel", leqach 4 (2004) 59-69. [Subtitle of leqach: Mitteilungen und Beiträge der Forschungsstelle Judentum, Theologische Fakultät, Leipzig]

2.   On the verbal forms of NB’

Adam, K.-P., "'And He Behaved like a Prophet among Them' (1Sam 10:11b): The Depreciative Use of נבא Hitpael and the Comparative Evidence of Ecstatic Prophecy", Die Welt des Orients 39 (2009) 3-57.

Auld, A. G., "Prophets and Prophecy in Jeremiah and Kings", ZAW 96 (1984) 66-82. Reprinted in his Samuel at the Threshold. Selected Works of Graeme Auld (Society for Old Testament Study Series; Aldershot: Ashgate, 2004) 45-61.

Wilson, R. R., "Prophecy and Ecstasy: A Reexamination", JBL 98 (1979) 321-337: espec. 329-336 on the Hitp form.

Wilson, R. R., Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1980), espec. 136-138.

III.    The terms for "seer" and the role of "seers"

1.   Terminology

Fuhs, H.-F., Sehen und Schauen. Die Wurzel ḥzh im alten Orient und im Alten Testament: ein Beitrag zum prophetischen Offenbarungsempfang (FB 32; Würzburg: Echter, 1978).

Fuhs, H.-F., "רָאָה rā’āh", TWAT VII (1993) 225-266. [For English and Italian translations see here]

Jepsen, A., "חָזָה ḥāzāh", TWAT II (1977) 822-835. [For English and Italian translations see here]

Vetter, D., "חזה ḥzh schauen", THAT I (1971) 533-537. [For English, Italian, and Spanish translations see here]

Vetter, D., "ראה r’h sehen", THAT II (1976) 692-701. [For English, Italian, and Spanish translations see here]

2.   On the role of "seers"

Brown, J. P., "The Mediterranean Seer and Shamanism", ZAW 93 (1981) 374-400.

Buber, M., Sehertum: Anfang und Ausgang (Köln: Hegner, 1955).

Buber, M., On the Bible: Eighteen Studies. Edited by N. N. Glatzer (New York, 1968): "Abraham the Seer" 22-43; "Prophecy, Apocalyptic, and the Historical Hour" 172-187. [both from Sehertum (1955)]

Flower, M. A., The Seer in Ancient Greece (Berkeley – Los Angeles, University of California Press, 2008).

Orlinsky, H. M., "The Seer in Ancient Israel", OrAnt 4 (1965) 153-174.

Orlinsky, H. M., "The Seer-Priest and the Prophet in Ancient Israel", in his Essays in Biblical Culture and Bible Translation (New York: KTAV, 1974) 39-65.

Vetter, D., Seherspruch und Segensschilderung. Ausdrucksabsichten und sprachliche Verwirklichungen in den Bileam-Sprüchen von Numeri 23 und 24 (Calwer Theologische Monographien. A. Bibelwissenschaft, 4; Stuttgart: Calwer, 1974).

IV.    The term "man of God" and its usage

Bratsiotis, N. P., "אִישׁ, TWAT I (1972) 238-252: espec. 250-252. [For English, Italian, and Spanish translations see here]

Dijkstra, M., "Moses, The Man of God", in R. Roukema (ed.) The Interpretation of Exodus: Studies in Honour of Cornelis Houtman. In collaboration with Bert Jan Lietaert Peerbolte, Klaas Spronk, and Jan-Wim Wesselius (Leuven: Peeters, 2006) 17-36.

Gangloff, F., "L'homme de Elohim (אִישׁ  (הָ)אֱלֹהִים)", BN 100 (1999) 60-70.

Hallevy, R., "Man of God", JNES 17 (1958) 237-244.

Holstein, J. A., "The Case of "’īš hā’ĕlōhīm" Reconsidered: Philological Analysis versus Historical Reconstruction", HUCA 48 (1977) 69-81.

Kühlewein, J., "אִישׁ ’īš Mann", THAT I (1971) 130-138: espec. 136-137. [For English, Italian, and Spanish translations see here]

Nwaoru, E. O., The Man of God in Biblical and Extra-Biblical Traditions (Nsukka: Afro-Orbis Publishers, 2007).



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