The origins, central teachings, and legacies of Judaism, (continued)

Throughout the history of Israel one reads about the prophets; men like Amos, Jeremiah, and Isaiah among others.  The word “prophet” comes from the Greek word prophetes, in which pro means “for” and  phetes means “to speak.”   Thus, in its original Greek, a prophet is someone who “speaks for” someone else.

 “The prophets of Israel and Judah are one of the most amazing groups of individuals in all history.  One thing is common to them all: the conviction that every human being, simply by virtue of his or her humanity, is a child of God and therefore in possession of rights that even kings must respect”    

Huston Smith