Prophets in Judaism

In Jewish tradition it is believed that the period of prophecy, called Nevuah, ended with Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi (mid-5th century BCE) at which time the "Shechinah departed from Israel".

The Talmud challenges this with other examples, and concludes by citing a Baraita tradition that the number of prophets in the era of prophecy was double the number of Israelites who left Egypt (600,000 males).

[7][8] Hebrew scripture makes references to groups of such ecstatic prophets, for example concerning King Saul: 10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a band of prophets met him; and the spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he prophesied among them.

11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that, behold, he prophesied with the prophets, then the people said one to another: ‘What is this that is come unto the son of Kish?

[10] When Eldad and Medad continued to prophecy, Moses expressed the hope that "all the LORD's people" could be prophets.

Frontispiece to the Book of Prophets, 17th-century Luther Bible , depicting the Jewish prophets.