One of the defining characteristics of the God of the Bible is that he often surprises in the sense that he continues to seek out his sinful people despite their many flaws, and can use any situation or person to demonstrate his glory. You might think that the Bible is full of stories of perfectly righteous people, yet the Old Testament focuses on deeply flawed and broken people who God continues to love and forgive with His grace. Indeed, King David, who slept with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered, is God's anointed and an ancestor of Jesus the Messiah. Likewise, when Moses tells God that he is not a good speaker and therefore is not qualified, God sends Aaron to help and uses Moses and Aaron to further his purpose. Additionally, God uses several women throughout the Old Testament to prophesy, which is completely unexpected in a patriarchal society where women were typically not valued and trusted as much as men. By choosing women to prophesy as well as men, God demonstrates that what he finds meaningful is often different from the things people value. This article will seek to examine the role and significance of prophetesses in the Old Testament through analysis of the lives and ministries of several prominent prophetesses. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Acts 2:17 reads, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, declares God, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams” [1] Although this verse is found in the New Testament, it follows that God would also work through women in the Old Testament. Although many of the stories of the Old Testament are primarily the experiences of men, God demonstrates his love and his trust in women through stories of strong, virtuous women after His heart. Although scholars and theologians often disagree about which Old Testament women were true prophets, it is abundantly clear that there were several prophetesses sent by God. This article will focus on Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, and Huldah, as they are considered valid prophetesses by most scholars. Before discussing the role and significance of these specific prophetesses it is essential to understand that the way they are discussed in the Old Testament differs. from the typical narrative concerning women of the time. Due to the nature of society, most stories focused on the lives of men, however, women were often involved passively or as the cause of problems. Within the Bible, examples of women whose primary literary purpose is to cause a problem or fight include Jezebel, Potiphar's wife, Bathsheba, and many others. Authors Daniel and Cathy Skidmore-Hess touch on this idea, writing "...women could play the role of a malevolent power like Jezebel or even be considered the source of all the trouble and suffering that beset human life, as says of Pandora in Greek myth”[2]. Obviously in the Bible there are multiple exceptions, such as Ruth, Esther and the prophetesses of the Old Testament, as well as the women of the New Testament, especially Mary virtuous in the Bible differentiates God from other deities in that she includes those who are disenfranchised and raises those who are often despised. In this way, the prophetesses of the Old Testament are significant in that they deviate from the typical portrayal of women of the time and. they focus attention on God's grace and the tendency to use peopledeemed unqualified due to some defect. Bearing in mind that the prophetesses of the Old Testament were exceptionally strong and virtuous women, especially when compared to other women literarily mentioned throughout history, it can be concluded that their lives and ministries reveal God to God. be totally unique and merciful, with a great love for all his people. Sister of Moses, often spoken of in reference to her song, Miriam is a prophetess who exemplifies strength and leadership. As a young man he convinces the Egyptian princess who discovers Moses floating down the Nile to allow a Jewish woman, who turns out to be his mother, to nurse him and watch over him. In doing this Miriam demonstrates extreme courage, as not many people would be brave enough to approach a princess and influence her decision. Here not only does Miriam demonstrate her courage, but she is also used by God to save Moses, who later leads the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt along with his brother Aaron. So it is evident from the start that Miriam is a woman of distinct character and initiative. In Exodus 15:20, she is introduced as "Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron"[3], and accompanies Moses and Aaron on their journey, serving as a strong guide for the Israelite women. In his work, Rediscovering Miriam, Moshe Reiss writes “The connection with Aaron perhaps suggests that they have parallel roles; he as the head of men and she as the head of women, while Moses has his distinct and more exalted role”[4]. During the journey Miriam leads the women with songs and dances to worship the Lord. While Moses says in his song «I will sing to the Lord» (Exodus 15.1), Miriam says «Sing to the Lord» (Exodus 15.21)[5], perhaps indicating a closer relationship with the people by inviting them to sing with her. Reiss writes: “Miriam chose to be guided by the people by addressing them in a language they could understand - through a non-elitist religious rite, somewhat resembling the religious rites of the surrounding peoples - and transforming the magnificent but incomprehensible prophetic song into a easily learnable by those who heard it”[6]. In this way Miriam is revealed to be a leader of the people, encouraging them to participate in worship and giving thanks to God. Prominent in chapters four and five of Judges, the prophetess Deborah is "...said to uniquely combine all forms of authority charismatic and political at her disposal"[7] according to the authors Daniel and Cathy Skidmore-Hesse in their work Dousing the Fiery Woman: The Diminishing of the prophetess Deborah. Here the authors discuss Deborah in light of her status as a judge, poet, and prophetess. It is particularly interesting that Deborah fills the role of judge in the biblical context, as most judges were men and one would not expect a woman to have so much power. However, there is no doubt about his status as a judge, as Judges 4:4-5 reads: “At that time Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, judged Israel. He sat under Deborah's palm tree between Ramah and Bethel, in the mountains of Ephraim; and the Israelites approached her for judgment"[8]. Additionally, Deborah is associated with a poetic song, which has often been interpreted as a sign of leadership and political power. Like Miriam, Deborah also leads the people in singing and worship, thus bringing glory to God and encouraging the people in their faith. Deborah has been considered one of the most powerful women in the Bible, largely due to the fact that Barak appears to be her protégé. It is almost unheard of for a woman during biblical times to have authority over a man, yet they are always referred to as "Deborah and Barak" in chapters four and five of Judges with Deborah placed before Barak. Judges 4:6 says, "She sent forBarak..."[9], indicating that Barak respects Deborah's authority and listens to her. Furthermore, later in the chapter Barak's dependence on Deborah becomes evident when he says he will only go if she goes with him. The authors Daniel and Cathy Skidmore-Hesse highlight this revolutionary biblical representation of a woman and a man, writing: “Deborah presents an exception to the prevailing gender models in the Bible's narrative and religious and political leadership”[10] while Barak takes on a more traditionally feminine role and Deborah is given authority.Here Deborah also demonstrates how God often works through people one would not expect.As Deborah demonstrates this through her revolutionary authority as a woman, God also works through countless other biblical figures in surprising ways her prophetic song in 1 Samuel chapter 2, the prophetess Hannah is a fine example of a faithful servant of the Lord and shows exemplary trust in Him. Although she has not been studied by many scholars, Hannah is a vital character in the Bible as she is the mother of Samuel and she is the one who decides to dedicate it to the Lord. Hannah reflects the traditional gender roles of the time as she is deeply distraught that she cannot have a child, yet she is significant in that her faith in God is strong and unshakable. Although her primary function is that of mother and wife, Anna is also presented as a woman of strong character and faith, who demonstrates that God hears the cry of his people. It is important to understand that the vow Anna makes is not a vow made out of fear or to bargain with God, but rather Anna is demonstrating her trust in God and her dedication to Him. Caroline M. Breyfogle discusses the meaning of vows in her work, The Religious Status of Women in the Old Testament, explaining that vows were meant to be pleasing to God and illustrating how Hannah took the lead in making a vow to God on her own. Breyfogle writes "Hannah appeared as a responsible person in making her vow to Shiloh, while her husband disappeared completely into the background"[11]. In this way Anna reveals herself to be an enterprising woman, confident in her personal relationship with God. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that Hannah is unique in that “The author Cynthia Ozick cites Hannah, as the inventor of internal prayer in an era in whose entire liturgical discourse in the Tabernacle was public, is a religious heroine”[12] according to a 1994 article, New Light on the Women of the Old Testament. While perhaps not seen in the same revolutionary way as Deborah, Hannah is significant as she reveals that God is compassionate and merciful, ready to listen to his people and hear their cries. Finally, although rarely discussed in Sunday School lessons or sermons, the prophetess Huldah serves as an example of a strong woman of God and can be seen as another role model for godly women. Discussed in 2 Kings, Huldah is similar to Deborah in that men of authority consult her. 2 Kings 22:14 says, “So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah, wife of Shallum, son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe; she resided in Jerusalem in the second quarter, where they consulted her”[13]. Author Esther J. Hamori discusses the significance of the prophetess Huldah in her work The Prophet and the Necromancer: Women's Divination for Kings, as God works through Huldah to bring about Josiah's reforms. Hamori writes “…he is still not sure what to think of the scroll. Huldah, therefore, is the one who validates the scroll, and only after Josiah takes action”[14]. In this way, it is evident that Huldah possesses more authority than most women of the time. This authority ultimately comes from God, as it is the result of her status as a prophetess. Huldah is particularly interesting as she is considered a valid prophetess,