The prophets of the Bible are legendary figures who delivered a message from God or wrote down one of these messages. The prophets were a source of guidance, comfort, and caution throughout the history of the Jewish people. Sometimes we relate to the times or events they’re talking about better than we do to our own lives.
In the Hebrew canon the Prophets are divided into (1) the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings) and (2) the Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve, or Minor, Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi).
Who are The 17 Prophets in the Old Testament
The Old Testament is filled with stories of people who were chosen by God to deliver His messages to the world. These individuals, known as prophets, were instrumental in guiding the Israelites and sharing divine revelations. There were a total of 17 prophets in the Old Testament, each with their unique message and role to play in the grand narrative of God’s plan for His people.
Who are The 17 Prophets in the Old Testament
1. Adam
– Genesis 3:17-19
2. Noah
– Genesis 6:13-22
3. Abraham
– Genesis 15:1-6
4. Isaac
– Genesis 27:27-29
5. Jacob
– Genesis 49:1-28
6. Joseph
– Genesis 37:5-9
7. Moses
– Exodus 3:11-15
8. Aaron
– Exodus 4:10-16
9. Miriam
– Exodus 15:20-21
10. Joshua
– Joshua 1:1-9
11. Deborah
– Judges 4:4-10
12. Samuel
– 1 Samuel 3:4-10
13. David
– 2 Samuel 7:12-16
14. Elijah
– 1 Kings 17:1-7
15. Elisha
– 2 Kings 2:9-14
16. Isaiah
– Isaiah 1:1-20
17. Jeremiah
– Jeremiah 1:4-10
These 17 prophets in the Old Testament were chosen by God to deliver messages and warnings to the people of Israel. They played a crucial role in guiding and leading the Israelites in their faith and obedience to God’s commandments. Through their prophecies, miracles, and teachings, they helped to shape the course of history and the spiritual life of the nation of Israel.
List of Prophets in the Old Testament
1. Adam
2. Noah
3. Abraham
4. Isaac
5. Jacob
6. Joseph
7. Moses
8. Aaron
9. Joshua
10. Samuel
11. David
12. Solomon
13. Elijah
14. Elisha
15. Isaiah
16. Jeremiah
17. Ezekiel
Prophets of the Bible in Chronological Order
In the Old Testament, a prophet is a person who is sent by God to tell others about Him. The prophets of the Bible were special people in the Bible who preached, taught and prophesied about God’s plan for salvation.
There are many different prophets in the Bible, both major and minor. These prophets tell us how we can be saved from sin and live with God forever. They also give us examples of what it means to be an obedient and faithful follower of God.
The prophets of the Old Testament are considered some of the wisest men who ever lived. Their words have inspired generations of believers to follow God’s commandments and live according to His law.
The chronological order of the prophets of the Bible is as follows:
1. Joel (835 B.C.)
2. Jonah (790)
3. Amos (765)
4. Hosea (750)
5. Isaiah (740)
6. Micah (735)
7. Nahum (650)
8. Zephaniah (640)
9. Habakkuk (630)
10. Jeremiah (626)
The first prophet in the Bible was Enoch (Genesis 5:24). In the book of Deuteronomy, we can read about how prophets served as leaders (Deuteronomy 18:15-22). In 2 Chronicles 20:20, a prophet helped King Jehoshaphat to defeat his enemies.
The most famous prophet in the Old Testament may be Isaiah, whose writings were so important that they became their own book of the Bible. He preached about what would happen if Israel did not listen to God (Isaiah 1), and he spoke about the coming Messiah (Isaiah 7:14).
The prophets often had unusual ways of getting their message across. Some walked around naked for three years or ate strange foods or acted strangely. But each one had an important message from God that they wanted everyone to hear!
Major and Minor Prophets in Chronological Order
Major Prophets in Chronological Order
-
- Isaiah
-
- Jeremiah
-
- Ezekiel
-
- Daniel
Minor Prophets in Chronological Order
-
- Hosea
-
- Joel
-
- Amos
-
- Obadiah
-
- Jonah
-
- Micah
-
- Nahum
-
- Habakkuk
-
- Zephaniah
-
- Haggai
-
- Zechariah
- Malachi
Illustration of Major Prophets in Chronological Order
Major Prophet | Chronological Order |
---|---|
Isaiah | 1 |
Jeremiah | 2 |
Ezekiel | 3 |
Daniel | 4 |
Illustration of Minor Prophets in Chronological Order
Minor Prophet | Chronological Order |
---|---|
Hosea | 1 |
Joel | 2 |
Amos | 3 |
Obadiah | 4 |
Jonah | 5 |
Micah | 6 |
Nahum | 7 |
Habakkuk | 8 |
Zephaniah | 9 |
Haggai | 10 |
Zechariah | 11 |
Malachi | 12 |
Names of Prophets in Chronological Order
Prophet* | Name Means | Place of Activity | Approximate Time Period** | Scripture*** | Under Kings |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Isaiah | “Yahweh is salvation” | Judah | 739-685 BC | Isaiah 1:1; 6:1; 7:1; 20:1; Isaiah 36-39; Hebrews 11:37 |
Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Manasseh |
Jeremiah | “Yahweh exalts” | Judah | 627-580 BC | Jeremiah 1:2-3; 3:6; 11:21-23; 21:1; 22:11; 24:1; 25:1-3; 25:8-12; 26:1; 27:1, etc.; Jeremiah 37-40; Jeremiah 52:31-33 |
Josiah Jehoahaz Jehoiakim Jehoiachin Zedekiah (Gedaliah) |
Ezekiel | “Yahweh strengthens” | Babylon | 592-570 BC | Ez 1:1-3; 24:1-2; 33:21 | (Jehoiachin in exile) |
Daniel | “Yahweh is my judge” | Babylon Persia |
606-530 BC | Dan 1:1-7; Dan 1-4; Dan 5:1ff; 6:1ff; 10:1 |
(Nebuchadnezzar Belshazzar Darius Cyrus) |
Hosea | “salvation” | Israel | 760-720 BC | Hosea 1:1 | Jeroboam II Zechariah Shallum Menahem Pekahiah Pekah Hoshea |
Joel | “Yahweh is God” | Judah | 830 BC? (if ministry at an early date) |
(locust and Day of the Lord pictures in Joel) | Ahaziah? Joash? |
Amos | “burden bearer” | Israel | 760 BC | Am 1:1; 7:12-17; 9:11-12 | Jeroboam II (Uzziah) |
Obadiah | “servant of Yahweh” | Judah? | 845 BC? | (Obadiah 1-9 quoted in Jr 49:7-16) (2 Kgs 8:20) |
written against Edom (which was enemy of Jerusalem under Jehoram?) |
Jonah | “dove” | Israel (Nineveh) |
780-760 BC | 2 Kings 14:25; Jon 1:1; 3:1 |
Jeroboam II |
Micah | “Who is like Yahweh?” | Judah | 737-690 BC | Micah 1:1 | Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah |
Nahum | “comfort/consolation” | Judah | after 664 BC before 612 BC |
Nahum 1:1 (Fall of Nineveh) |
Manasseh? Josiah? |
Habakkuk | “embracer” | Judah | 620-610 BC? | Habakkuk 1:6 (Babylon) |
Jehoiakim? |
Zephaniah | “Yahweh hides/treasures/protects” | Judah | 640-608 BC | Zephaniah 1:1 | Josiah |
Haggai | “my feast/festival” | Judah (post-exile) | 520-516 BC | Haggai 1:1; 2:10; 2:20; Ezra 5-6 |
(Darius I) Zerubbabel |
Zechariah | “Yahweh remembers” | Judah (post-exile) | 520-518 BC | Zechariah 1:1; 7:1 Haggai 1:1 |
(Darius I) Zerubbabel |
Malachi | “my messenger/angel” | Judah (post-exile) | 430 BC | Malachi 1:7,8,10; 3:1 | (Artaxerxes I) |
*The prophets are listed according to their order in the Scriptures.
**All dates are approximate time periods of each prophet’s ministry.
***The Scripture references provided are those that help estimate the time periods of each prophet’s ministry.