palace he was building for himself at Jezreel.* The
prophets, as in former times, were divided into schools, the head of
each being called its father, the members bearing the title of "the sons
of the prophets;" they dwelt in a sort of monastery, each having his own
cell, where they ate together, performed their devotional exercises or
assembled to listen to the exhortations of their chief prophets:** nor
did their sacred office prevent them from marrying.***

* 1 Kings xxi., where the later tradition throws nearly all
the blame on Jezebel; whereas in the shorter account, in 2
Kings ix. 25, 26, it is laid entirely on Ahab.

** In 1 Sam. xix. 20, a passage which seems to some to be a
later interpolation, mentions a "company of the prophets,
prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them." Cf. 2
Kings vi. 1-7, where the narrative introduces a congregation
of prophets grouped round Elisha.

*** 2 Kings iv. 1-7, where an account is given of the
miracle worked by Elisha on behalf of "a woman of the wives
of the sons of the prophets."

As a rule, they settled near one of the temples, and lived there on
excellent terms with the members of the regular priesthood. Accompanied
by musical instruments, they chanted the songs in which the poets of
other days extolled the mighty deeds of Jahveh, and obtained from this
source the incidents of the semi-religious accounts which they narrated
concerning the early history of the people; or, when the spirit moved
them, they went about through the land prophesying, either singly, or
accompanied by a disciple, or in bands.* The people thronged round them
to listen to their hymns or their stories of the heroic age: the great
ones of the land, even kings themselves, received visits from them, and
endured their reproaches or exhortations with mingled feelings of awe
and terror. A few of the prophets took the part of Ahab and Jezebel,**
but the majority declared against them, and of these, the most
conspicuous, by his forcibleness of speech and action, was Elijah. We
do not know of what race or family he came, nor even what he was:*** the
incidents of his life which have come down to us seem to be wrapped in a
vague legendary grandeur. He appears before Ahab, and tells him that
for years to come no rain or dew shall fall on the earth save by his
command, and then takes flight into the desert in order to escape the
king's anger.