Women Prophets Mentioned in Jewish Texts Tanakh and Talmud
The Jewish tradition (encompassing the Tanakh and subsequent Rabbinic literature like the Talmud and Midrash) acknowledges that women possessed the gift of prophecy, referred to in Hebrew as Neviah (נְבִיאָה).
I. Explicitly Named “Prophetess” (Neviah) in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)
These four women are explicitly given the title “נְבִיאָה” (Neviah) in the Bible itself.
| Name | Biblical Source | Role and Context |
| 1. Miriam | Exodus 15:20 | Sister of Moses and Aaron. She is called a Prophetess after leading the women in song and dance to celebrate the crossing of the Red Sea. |
| 2. Deborah | Judges 4:4 | The only female Judge of Israel. She was both a prophetess who delivered God’s instructions and a military leader who guided Israel to victory. |
| 3. Huldah | 2 Kings 22:14 | Lived during the reign of King Josiah. She was consulted to authenticate the Scroll of Law found in the Temple and delivered God’s message concerning it. |
| 4. Noadiah | Nehemiah 6:14 | She is mentioned as a “Prophetess” who worked against Nehemiah’s efforts to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls, likely using her prophetic status for malicious or deceptive purposes. |
II. The Canonical Seven Prophetesses (Rabbinic Tradition)
The Talmud (specifically Megillah 14a) and other Rabbinic literature expand the list of Neviot (prophetesses) to a traditional seven. This designation is based on their having exhibited a high level of Divine Inspiration or having spoken words containing messianic prophecy, even if the title “Neviah” is not explicitly applied to them in the Bible.
This list includes three women not explicitly called Neviah in the Tanakh:
| Name | Biblical Source | Rabbinic Rationale |
| 1. Sarah | Genesis | The wife of Abraham. Rabbinic commentary suggests she possessed a greater level of prophecy than Abraham himself. |
| 2. Miriam | Exodus | (Also explicitly named Neviah in the Tanakh.) |
| 3. Deborah | Judges | (Also explicitly named Neviah in the Tanakh.) |
| 4. Hannah | 1 Samuel | Mother of Samuel. Her prayer in the Temple (1 Samuel 2:1-10) is interpreted as containing divine inspiration and prophecies about the future. |
| 5. Abigail | 1 Samuel 25 | Wife of Nabal, later David’s wife. Her discourse to David, which prevents him from taking blood revenge, is considered an act of prophetic wisdom and insight. |
| 6. Huldah | 2 Kings | (Also explicitly named Neviah in the Tanakh.) |
| 7. Esther | Book of Esther | The Queen of Persia. Her actions to save her people and her words recorded in the Book of Esther are considered to have been divinely inspired. |
