In the Bible, “prophets” are people God chose to speak His message to His people—sometimes about the future, but very often about calling them back to faithfulness, justice, and worship. They appear in both the Old and New Testaments and include famous figures like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and John the Baptist, as well as many lesser-known names.

What is a prophet in the Bible?

In Scripture, a prophet is more like God’s spokesperson than a fortune-teller. Their main role is to deliver God’s word —comfort, warning, correction, or promise—to individuals, communities, or nations. Sometimes that includes predicting future events, but it also involves interpreting current situations in light of God’s will.

Typical tasks of biblical prophets include:

  • Calling people to repent from idolatry and injustice.
  • Reminding Israel of God’s covenant and laws.
  • Announcing judgment (for example, against corrupt leaders or nations).
  • Announcing hope, restoration, and the coming Messiah.

Major Old Testament prophets

Traditionally, Christians and Jews speak of “major” and “minor” prophets, based on the length and scope of their books, not on importance as people.

Major prophets (books named after them):

  • Isaiah – Spoke to Judah about judgment and hope, and gave many prophecies Christians see fulfilled in Jesus (for example, the suffering servant).
  • Jeremiah – Warned that Jerusalem would fall to Babylon and called people to turn back to God; also spoke of a “new covenant.”
  • Ezekiel – Prophesied among exiles in Babylon, using vivid visions (dry bones, new temple) to describe judgment and future restoration.
  • Daniel – Lived in foreign courts (Babylon and Persia), interpreted dreams, and gave symbolic visions about future kingdoms.

These books are long, poetic, and often mix narrative with visionary material.

Minor Old Testament prophets

The “minor prophets” are twelve shorter prophetic books often grouped together as “The Twelve.” They still carry weighty messages about justice, mercy, and God’s plan.

Some key examples:

  • Hosea – Used his own troubled marriage as a living picture of God’s faithful love for unfaithful Israel.
  • Joel – Spoke about a locust plague and “the day of the Lord,” and promised God would pour out His Spirit.
  • Amos – A shepherd who denounced social injustice and religious hypocrisy in Israel.
  • Obadiah – Prophesied against Edom for violence and pride.
  • Jonah – Sent to Nineveh; his story highlights God’s compassion even for enemy nations.
  • Micah – Condemned oppression and famously summarized what God requires: justice, mercy, and humility.
  • Nahum – Announced judgment on Nineveh after its later relapse into violence.
  • Habakkuk – Questioned God about evil and injustice; learned to trust God’s sovereignty.
  • Zephaniah – Warned of coming judgment and promised eventual restoration.
  • Haggai – Urged returned exiles to rebuild the temple.
  • Zechariah – Shared visions about temple rebuilding and future hope.
  • Malachi – Confronted spiritual apathy and pointed ahead to a coming messenger (“Elijah-like” figure).

Other prophetic figures in the Old Testament

Not all prophets have books named after them. Many appear within narrative books but still function clearly as prophets.

Important examples:

  • Moses – The foundational prophet of Israel; he spoke with God “face to face,” led the exodus, and received the Law.
  • Samuel – Transition figure from judges to kings; anointed Saul and David and spoke God’s word to them.
  • Nathan – Confronted King David over his sin with Bathsheba.
  • Elijah – Confronted Baal worship, performed miracles, and opposed corrupt kings like Ahab.
  • Elisha – Elijah’s successor, also a miracle-working prophet who advised kings.

Many lists also include others (like Aaron, Gad, Ahijah, and more), because they receive and deliver specific messages from God, even if they are not called “prophet” in every passage.

Prophets in the New Testament

The prophetic role continues in the New Testament, though in a different setting. The focus shifts toward pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment of earlier promises.

Key New Testament prophetic figures:

  • John the Baptist – Often seen as the last “Old Testament–style” prophet; he called people to repentance and prepared the way for Jesus.
  • Jesus Christ – Presented not only as Messiah and Son of God, but also as a prophet who speaks God’s final and definitive word.
  • Early church prophets – In the book of Acts, believers like Agabus, Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius, and others are explicitly called prophets and deliver Spirit-inspired messages to the church.

Some Christians also talk about the “two witnesses” in Revelation as future prophetic figures, though interpretations differ widely.

Different viewpoints: who “counts” as a prophet?

Not all traditions agree on exactly “who are the prophets in the Bible.”

A few live debates:

  • Broader vs. narrower lists: Some lists include figures like Adam, Abel, or patriarchs such as Abraham and Jacob because the New Testament calls Abel and Abraham prophets or treats them as speaking God’s message.
  • Strict title vs. function: Some only count people explicitly called “prophet,” while others include anyone who clearly speaks on God’s behalf or receives revelation.
  • Christian vs. other religious perspectives: Christian lists usually center on the biblical canon, while Jewish lists emphasize the Tanakh’s prophetic books and Muslim lists overlap partly with the Bible but add or omit names according to the Qur’an.

Because of these differences, you’ll see some lists with a few dozen prophets and others with 70+ names.

Mini FAQ: quick answers

  • How many prophets are in the Bible?
    There is no universally agreed number; some Christian reference lists count around 70+ named prophetic figures across both Testaments.
  • Are prophets only about predicting the future?
    No. Their core role is to declare God’s will—about present behavior, justice, worship, and faithfulness—though future predictions are often part of that.
  • Who are the “main” prophets most people recognize?
    Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, the Twelve Minor Prophets, John the Baptist, and (for Christians) Jesus Himself as the ultimate prophet.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.