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Prophecy

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A message believed to be divinely inspired, often concerning future events or divine will, delivered through a prophet.

Detailed Definition
Prophecy is not merely prediction; it is a communication from God that often critiques social injustice, calls for repentance, and offers hope. It is a central feature of Abrahamic religions. In poetry, the prophetic voice is one of moral urgency and visionary power. Poets from William Blake to modern times have adopted this voice to critique their society and envision alternative, more sacred realities. Prophecy in poetry bridges the temporal, speaking timeless truths with compelling authority.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Hebrew poetry, Prophecy calls for justice: “Let justice roll—Prophecy thunders against kings”; In Sufi verse, Prophecy is love’s clarity: “True Prophet—sees God in beggar’s eyes”; In contemporary poetry, Prophecy is warning: “Climate scientists—modern Prophets crying in the wilderness”; Poets distinguish Prophecy from prediction: “Not fortune-telling—Prophecy is moral imagination.”
Additional Notes
Prophecy is less about predicting the future than proclaiming divine justice—Amos condemning oppression, Jeremiah weeping for Jerusalem; true prophecy disrupts complacency; in poetry, prophetic voice speaks truth to power, using stark imagery, lament, or satire to awaken moral imagination and call for societal transformation.
Also Known As
Divine Utterance Nevuah (Hebrew) Divination tairngreacht
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