CHAPTER IV

THE PROPHET IN RELATION TO OTHER PROFESSIONS

A GENERAL survey of the office of prophet we found in the etymological and philological study of the word Nabi; from the various popular conceptions we have gleaned some idea of the many-sided activity of the prophet, as seen from the different popular view points; and, having disposed of miracles in the history of Israel, it is evident that we shall find the prophet human, related to other human beings. Our task in this chapter will be to consider the prophet in his relation to other professions. Not the differences especially, and these are, of course, many and are taken for granted, but the likenesses and similarity between the prophet, on the one hand, and the priest, diviner, poet and genius, on the other, will be the subject of investigation here.

(A) PROPHET AND PRIEST

In the Babylonian-Assyrian religion the priest functioned in the capacities of priest, prophet, poet and magician. He was the guardian of the temple and its rights and palladia; he was the ramku and nisakku,1 the libation-pourer," and officiated at all sacrifices, for no one, not even kings, who in Assyria and Babylonia as well as in Israel were divinely appointed, could approach the deity with his sacrifice without the priest's assistance. He it was through whom, by means of sacrifice, the desired answer was obtained (ibid., p. 331); he was the mediator between the penitent and his god, and through him reconciliation was to be had and only through him (p. 315); 1Jastrow, M.: "Religion of Babylonia and Assyria," p. 657.

he alone could offer prayers efficaciously and wrest from the gods the coveted favor (p. 353).

In the capacity of prophet he was the interpreter of oracles and omens, the prognosticator of the future (p. 329) and determined the will of the gods; he was the shâilu, the “inquirer" who obtains oracles through the dead and through the gods (p. 657 ff.); above all he was the theologian and religious teacher, "setting the fashion in theological thought," and in general he was the intellectual leader of the people. Related to this was the office of scribe and judge also held by the priest.

As poets these priests functioned in the capacity of dirge-singers and hymn-singers, "wailers" and "howlers," but also as the composers of these hymns and prayers, incantations and magical texts, each sanctuary having its own characteristic services (p. 248 ff.). The most popular function of the priest, however, was that of magician, charmer, restrainer of demons, soothsayer, healer (p. 657 ff.).

Now, whether or not Israel's religion is directly connected with that of Assyria and Babylonia is not a proper subject for discussion here, but certain it is that all religions in their early stages are similar, and especially are the early Semitic religions similar in form and content. It is to be regretted that we have not more Biblical material to judge from, but even from the meager accounts it appears, almost beyond dispute, that in ancient Israel, too, the prophet and priest were originally one.1

Moses was priest and prophet both. So was Aaron. Samuel was brought up by Eli, the priest, and it seems that at least the early part of his life he functioned as priest, while later he assumed more and more the rôle of

1 The same holds true of the Philistines. Compare I Samuel 6: 2. 2 Compare Deut. 18: 5; 33: 4, 8, 9; Ps. 99: 6; Nu. 12: 6 ff.; Hos. 12: 13, 14; see also W. R. Smith: "Old Testament in Jewish Church," PP. 302-3.

prophet. And yet, even here, it is already seen that the two offices were united in one person, because, while acting in the capacity of prophet, he is still looked upon as, and performs the duties of, priest, as when at the sacrificial meal his presence was necessary to bless the offering (I Sam. 9: 13 ff.). Ezekiel is certainly as much priest as prophet, as active for sacrifice and temple as for ethical action, and "the official prophets of Judah appear to have been connected with the priesthood and the sanctuary until the close of the kingdom." They interest themselves, as do the priests, in the building of the Temple (Ezra 5: 2 ff., II Sam. 7); in the music for the Temple (II Chr. 29: 25); the prophet, Gad, advises David to build an altar (II Sam. 24: 18). In short, in these and other respects the prophets are identical with the priests.2

Kuenen objects to the theory that the prophet and priest were originally one, chiefly on the ground that the office of priest was hereditary, while that of the prophet was not. This seems to me to be a very superficial objection because we have seen that in other Semitic religions the two were one, and even the priestly office itself, while later hereditary, was originally quite likely not so, as everyone was permitted to offer sacrifice, while the distinctive office of the priest was to consult the oracles.5

In the same way it might be reasoned that the theatre and the church are unrelated because to-day the two institutions are dissimilar and often at opposite extremes, and yet, in spite of this, the theatre is the product of the church. The same opposition in fact we find among the prophet

1 Smith, W. R.: "Old Testament in Jewish Church," pp. 292 ff. 2 Knobel, pp. 207-8.

3 Kuenen: "Hibbert Lectures," London, 1882, pp. 96 ff.

4 So also in Arabic Kâhin is seer, while in Hebrew the same word Kôhen means priest.

"Later this function of oracles was shifted to the prophet, while the priest became the official sacrificer.

There

and priest, the one emphasizing spiritual religion and often condemning sacrifice and rite, the other carefully guarding and emphasizing ritual and sacrifice. Other scholars, however, such as Smend, Knobel and W. R. Smith accept the theory that the two were originally one.1 Again we find that the two offices often overlapped each other, thus showing, as I believe, that, when according to modern phraseology the division of labor or specialization took place, the two were not yet clearly defined. were prophetic as well as priestly oracles (I Sam. 28: 6). David asks Gad, the prophet, for advice, to inquire of God, and then turns to Abiathar, the priest, to get the information by means of the ephod (I Sam. 14: 18; 22: 5, 10; 23: 9). Elijah and Elisha occasionally offer sacrifices themselves as well as the priests (I Kings 18: 30 ff.). "When all is said," acknowledges even Kuenen,2 points of contact between prophet and priest remain. Both passed in the eyes of the people for the trusted interpreters of the deity. There were doubtless circumstances under which the prophet or the priest might be consulted with equal propriety. If the special circumstances occasionally determined the choice, there were likewise times when no choice was open."

Not only, then, are prophets related to the priests, but they were originally one and the same person. When they finally did become separate persons with separate offices we still find them related in the following points: They were both mediators between the people and their God.

Both prayed in times of need to God in behalf of Israel (Smend, p. 88).

1

Smend: "Lehrbuch der alttest. Religionsgeschichte," pp. 92 ff. W. R. Smith: "Old Testament in Jewish Church," pp. 293 ff. Knobel, pp. 208 ff.

2" Hibbert Lectures," pp. 97-8.

Both were consulted regarding the will of God; the one answered by means of the Ephod, Urim and Thumim, the other directly through visions, dreams and intelligent insight.

Both worked for the religion of Israel in the name of Jahve.

The priests were often judges of the people, so were the prophets in a higher sense, judging priests, kings and people alike.

Both gave advice in critical periods, the one when asked, the other, the prophet, often unbidden.

The object and aim of both, in a general sense, was the same, namely, to make Israel holy, obedient to the laws, the Torah of Jahve; the one tried to gain his object through ceremony, sacrifice and rite, the other through righteousness and justice.

Hence, it is evident that in these related points the psychology of the prophet is in no wise different from the psychology of the priest, and might well be eliminated in an investigation of the distinctive features of the psychology of prophecy.

(B) PROPHET AND DIVINER

In the priest of the Babylonian-Assyrian religion were centered all the offices which later, in other nations, were branched off from the parent root into prophet, diviner, charmer, poet, magician and all the rest of religious and kindred workers. Indications are not wanting to show that in Israel, too, these offices, if not always vested in one person, were at least so closely related that the functions of the one were at no time very clearly marked off from those of the other, so that no clear demarcation is possible.1

1

Cf. Mic. 3: 5 ff.; Is. 3: 2, 3; Ezek. 13; Hos. 4: 12 ff.; Lev. 19: 26, 31; 20: 6, 27; I Sam. 15: 23.