H5012, Naba, To Prophesy

Naba: to speak or sing by inspiration; to act in prophesying.

Noun: prophet:  

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT):  The essential idea in the word is that of authorized spokesman. Interpreters have found the basic thought, not in the etymology, which is lost in the dust of antiquity, but in the general usage of the word and in three Pentateuchal loci.

The first locus follows the last of Moses' famous objections to being God's designated spokesman to the children of Israel and to Pharaoh (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ex+6%3A28-30">Exodus 6:28-30</a>). "And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh" (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ex+7%3A1-2">Exodus 7:1, 2</a>). Whatever the origin of the word, therefore, a nābîʾ is a person authorized to speak for another, for Aaron, speaking in Moses' place to Pharaoh, is Moses' nābîʾ

The second locus follows an incident wherein Aaron and Miriam had presumed to supplant Moses as mediator of the divine revelation to themselves (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Nu+12%3A1-2">Numbers 12:1-2</a>). The Lord himself then intervened by declaring that Moses only would hold direct conversation with the Almighty, that he would, however, communicate with prophets by dreams and visions (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Nu+12%3A4-8">Numbers 12:4-8</a>). What is left unstated, but is presumed and stated clearly elsewhere (e.g. <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Jer+23">Jeremiah 23</a>), is that a genuine nābîʾ could be such a spokesman for God only if God had genuinely given him a message (however obscurely) to speak.

The third occurs just before the great legislator's death. In view of the end of "face-to-face" communications from God through Moses, there was a formal announcement of the office of nābîʾ on a continuing basis. In this passage (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A9-22">Deut. 18:9-22</a>) Jehovah formally proscribed any traffic with the bogus pagan mantic practices of Canaan (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A9-14">Deut. 18:9-14</a>). Then having stated that a line of prophets would speak (or write) with the same authority that Moses had spoken (and written), he commanded the Israelites to render the prophet the same obedience (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A15">Deut. 18:15</a>, <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A18-19">18, 19</a>) which he had commanded them to give to Moses. Five certifying signs of a prophet (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ps+74%3A9">Psalm 74:9</a>; cf. <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Mt+12%3A38">Matthew 12:38</a>; <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ac+2%3A22">Acts 2:22</a>) were announced as follows: 1) the prophet must be Israelite, "of thy brethren" (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A15">Deut. 18:15</a>, <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A18">18</a>); 2) he speaks in Jehovah's name—"voice of Jehovah" (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A16">Deut. 18:16</a>) "he shall speak in my name" (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A19">Deut. 18:19</a>; cf. <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A20">Deut. 18:20</a>), death being the penalty for false claims to so speak (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A20">Deut. 18:20</a>; cf. <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A1">Deut. 18:1</a> ff.; <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=1Ki+18%3A20-40">1 Kings 18:20-40</a>); 3) supernatural knowledge of the near future was to be a sign of the authenticity of divine appointment (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+18%3A21-22">Deut. 18:21-22</a>; cf. <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=1Ki+22">1 Kings 22</a>; <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Jer+28">Jeremiah 28</a>, esp. <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Jer+28%3A17">Jeremiah 28:17</a>); 4) the prophet might perform some other miraculous sign (see <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+13%3A1">Deut. 13:1</a> ff.; cf. <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=1Ki+18%3A24">1 Kings 18:24</a>; and esp. <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=1Ki+18%3A38">1 Kings 18:38</a>) and <a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Isa+5%3A5">5</a>) the final test is strict conformity to (agreement with) the previously certified revelations, by Moses at first and by the prophets to follow (<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Dt+13%3A1-18">Deut. 13:1-18</a>). The fifth requirement is emphatic, the entire thirteenth chapter being devoted to it.

Verb: to prophesy:

<ul>

<li>Verbally</li>

<li>Non-verbally

<ul>

<li>By music</li>

<li>By other actions</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>