Sons of the Prophets

Biblical Text

The sons of the prophets appear mainly in the narratives of Elijah and Elisha in 2 Kings.

• 2 Kings 2: The sons of the prophets at Bethel and Jericho ask Elisha whether he knows that Elijah will be taken up that day. Fifty of them watch from a distance as the two men stand beside the Jordan River. After Elijah departs, they come to meet Elisha, saying, "The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha" (2 Kings 2:15).
• 2 Kings 4: The chapter tells of a widow whose husband had been one of the sons of the prophets. After his death, she is in danger of losing her two sons because of a debt, and Elisha causes her oil to keep flowing so that she can pay it off (4:1–7). Later, during a famine at Gilgal, the sons of the prophets are sitting before Elisha, and when the stew they have cooked proves to be poisonous, Elisha makes it safe to eat (4:38–41).
• 2 Kings 5: Gehazi lies to Naaman, claiming that "two young men of the sons of the prophets" have come, and thereby obtains silver and garments (5:22).
• 2 Kings 6: Complaining that the place where they live together is too small, the sons of the prophets go to the Jordan to cut timber and build a new dwelling. When a borrowed axe head falls into the water, Elisha makes it float (6:1–7).
• 2 Kings 9: Elisha sends one of the sons of the prophets to anoint Jehu.

The same Hebrew expression also appears in 1 Kings 20:35, where a member of this group delivers a prophecy to King Ahab.

Background and Meaning of the Term

The original Hebrew is bene hanneviim, literally "sons of the prophets." In Hebrew, "son" is also used idiomatically for a person who belongs to a particular group or class. The expression is therefore understood to refer not to physical descent but to members of a prophetic company.

According to the text, these groups were found at Bethel, Jericho, Gilgal, and elsewhere. Some members were married and had families (4:1), and they lived together and followed Elisha as their leader. Elijah and Elisha ministered in the northern kingdom of Israel at a time when Baal worship was widespread.

Significance in the Wider Bible

1 Samuel 10 and 19 mention a "company of prophets" led by Samuel. The text does not say whether this company is connected with the sons of the prophets in Kings. Amos declared, "I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son" (Amos 7:14). This statement is commonly interpreted as his affirmation that he was not a professional prophet drawn from a prophetic company but one called directly by God.

With regard to the New Testament, the pattern of living with a master, learning from him, and being sent out is sometimes compared to the relationship between Jesus and the twelve disciples. This, however, is a comparison drawn by interpreters; the New Testament does not mention this group directly. The phrase "children of the prophets" in Acts 3:25 is similar in form, but there it refers to those who inherit the promises proclaimed by the prophets.

Interpretation and Debate

This group has traditionally been widely understood as a "school of the prophets," that is, an educational institution for training prophets. The text, however, never uses terms such as school or course of study. Some scholars therefore regard the group as a community or guild that engaged together in prophetic activity, while others see it as a body of supporters who followed Elisha. It is also often said that Samuel founded schools of the prophets or that Elijah established schools in various towns, but the biblical text does not state this directly.

In the Korean Church

Under the influence of the "school of the prophets" interpretation, Korean churches commonly refer to a theological seminary as seonji dongsan (roughly, "the prophets' hill" or "garden of the prophets"). The sons of the prophets are also frequently mentioned in prayers and sermons for seminary students and theological graduate schools. In addition, the words "the place … is too strait for us" in 2 Kings 6 are often cited in sermons on church growth and building projects, and the account of the widow and the oil in 2 Kings 4 is often cited in sermons on faith and God's provision.