The Sons of the Prophets

2023-04-20

The sons of the prophets are mentioned several times throughout the Old Testament. These were people who followed the LORD when most of the people were serving idols. These were likely the 7,000 the LORD spoke of: “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18). Later, we see that Elijah, and his successor, Elisha, were often among them.

To be a son of the prophets really meant you were a prophet. One such man, who preached against Ahab, is described in this way: “And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him” (1 Kings 20:35), and later, “And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets” (1 Kings 20:41).

From this description, his appearance showed that he belonged to God. Wicked Ahab knew who he was once the man removed his disguise.

These men and their families were distributed across multiple cities. Some lived in Bethel and Jericho (2 Kings 2:3-5). They seemed to share a camaraderie, as they looked for Elijah together when he had been taken by the whirlwind. They ate together during the famine. “And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets” (2 Kings 4:38). They also seem to live within close proximity of each other: “And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us” (2 Kings 6:1).

The sons of the prophets seem to resemble the early church in Jerusalem in the early chapters in Acts. We do not know much about them, but they were servants of the LORD amid a decadent society.