The Talmud names 55 prophets (48 male and 7 female) of Judaism and Israel ( Nəvīʾīm, Tiberian: Năḇīʾīm, "Prophets", literally "spokesmen"). Some texts suggest a large number of lost prophets, or name up to seven prophets outside Israel. In Jewish tradition it is believed that Malachi was the final prophet and that the period of prophecy, , ended with Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi (mid-5th century BCE) at which time the "Shechinah departed from Israel".Light of Prophecy Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America/National Conference of Synagogue Youth (1990), p6.
Rabbinic tradition
According to the Talmud, there were 48 prophets and 7 prophetesses who prophesied to Israel.
The 46 prophets to Israel 46 according to Rashi, commentary on Tractate Megillah 14a.
Abraham Isaac Jacob Moses Aaron Joshua Phinehas Eli Elkanah Samuel Gad Natan David Ahijah the Shilonite Solomon Iddo Obadiah Jehu Azariah Jahaziel Eliezer Elijah Elisha Micaiah Jonah Amos Hosea Amoz Isaiah Micah Joel Zephaniah Nahum Habakkuk Urijah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel Mehseiah Neriah Baruch ben Neriah Seraiah Haggai Zechariah Mordechai Bilshan Malachi
The 7 prophetesses to Israel
Sarah Miriam Deborah Hannah Abigail Huldah Esther
Additional prophets Although the Talmud states that only “48 prophets and 7 prophetesses prophesied to Israel”,Talmud, Tractate Megillah 14a it does not mean that there were only 55 prophets. 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). The 55 prophets are recorded, because they made prophecies that have eternal relevance for future generations and not just for their own generation, or own ecstatic encounter with God.Why Isn't the Book of Daniel Part of the Prophets? from Chabad.org, footnote 2Talmud Megilla 14a Hebrew scripture makes references to groups of such ecstatic prophets, for example in 1 Samuel:
On one occasion during the Exodus journey, "the spirit which was upon Moses" was passed to seventy elders, who were also able to prophecy for one time only, but mostly they could not prophecy again. When Eldad and Medad continued to prophecy, Moses expressed the hope that "all the 's people" could be prophets.
Prophets to other nations The Talmud lists seven prophets to the nations of the world (Gentiles, goyim): Balaam, Beor, Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar, and Elihu.Bava Batra 15b
See also
References
de:Prophetie im Tanach