Schools of the Prophets

The name given to bands of prophets or “sons of prophets” living together for instruction and worship under Samuel, Elijah, and Elisha. Little is known about these schools, but they seem to have been important religious institutions in Israel and references to them are frequent (1 Sam. 10:11; 19:19–20; 2 Kgs. 2:3, 5; 4:38; 6:1). Not all the “sons of the prophets” claimed to have a supernatural gift; they were simply trained religious teachers, while some inspired prophets had received no training in the schools (Amos 7:14; see also D&C 88:127, 136–38; 90:7; 95:10, 17).