in general, a person who foretells future events; but is particularly applied to such inspired persons among the Jews as were commissioned by God to declare his will and purposes to that people. Among the canonical books of the Old Testament we have the writings of 16 prophets, four of whom are denominated the greater prophets, viz. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel; so called from the length and extent of their writings, which exceed those of the others, viz. Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, who are called the lesser prophets, from the shortness of their writings. The Jews do not place Daniel among the prophets, because, they say, he lived the life of a courtier rather than that of a prophet. An account of the several writings of the prophets may be seen each under its particular head. See the article ISAIAH, &c.

SONS OF THE PROPHETS, in scripture history, an appellation given to young men who were educated in the schools or colleges under a proper master, who was commonly, if not always, an inspired prophet, in the knowledge of religion and in sacred music, and thus were qualified to be public preachers; which seems to have been part of the business of the prophets on the Sabbath days and festivals. It is probable that God generally chose the prophets, whom he inspired, out of these schools. See PROPHECY.

PROPITIATION, in Theology, a sacrifice offered to God to assuage his wrath and render him propitious. Among the Jews there were both ordinary and public sacrifices, as holocausts, &c. offered by way of thanksgiving; and extraordinary ones, offered by particular persons guilty of any crime, by way of propitiation. The Romish church believe the mass to be a sacrifice of propitiation for the living and the dead. The reformed churches allow of no propitiation but that one offered by Jesus Christ on the cross. See SACRIFICE.