Prophetic Actions Without Explicit Divine Sanction/1/en
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
This topic has not yet undergone editorial review
Prophetic Actions Without Explicit Divine Sanction
Introduction
Prophetic autonomy?
How much autonomy do prophets have? Must they consult with Hashem regarding their every deed, lest they veer from the Divine will, or may they act even without Divine sanction? Can a prophet declare a miracle on his own, and expect that nature will be overturned at his word? These questions are raised by the many instances where prophets seem to act, and even declare supernatural phenomena, without having previously received a Divine directive to do so :
- Moshe and the plagues – In Shemot 8, Moshe tells Paroh to sets a time for the plague of frogs to end, promising that it will terminate as requested.1 No where, though, does the text share that Hashem directed him to do so. How, then, could Moshe be certain that Hashem really wanted the plague to end, and that He would agree to do so?
- Moshe and meat – In Shemot 16, in the aftermath of the nation's complaints of hunger, Hashem promises to provide them with bread. When speaking to the people, however, Moshe adds that Hashem will provide them not only with bread, but also with meat.
- Moshe and Korach – During Korach's rebellion, Moshe appears to independently devise an incense test to prove whom God has chosen (Bemidbar 16:1-7), and later declares that the rebellions' leaders will die an unnatural death (Bemidbar 16:23-31). How could Moshe trust that Hashem would agree to his test and bring a miracle on his demand, especially considering that both were to bring death upon others?
- Moshe and the petition of Reuven and Gad – When Reuven and Gad negotiate to settle the land east of the Jordan (Bemidbar 32), Moshe grants them permission to do so, without first consulting with Hashem. How did he know that this was Hashem's intention?
- Yehoshua and the sun – In Yehoshua 10, Yehoshua makes the famous declaration "שֶׁמֶשׁ בְּגִבְעוֹן דּוֹם", resulting in the sun standing still. The narrative concludes " And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man", suggesting that in this incident Hashem really did change nature at the bidding of man, but also that this was unique and not replicated elsewhere.
- Shemuel bringing rain – When Shemuel rebukes the people for requesting a king in Shemuel I 12, he tells them that as a sign of their sinful behavior, he will cry out to Hashem and bring a storm in the dry season. Here, too, the declaration is not preceded by a Divine command.
- Natan and David – In Shemuel II 7, when David expresses a desire to build the Mikdash, Natan tells him to do as his heart wishes Not only does Natan say this on his own, but Natan is in fact proven wrong. Did Natan sin in expressing his erroneous opinion independently? Can a prophet make a mistake?
- Eliyahu's miracles – The vast majority of Eliyahu's actions appear to be initiated by him rather than Hashem, as attested to to by his very first words in Sefer Melakhim "חַי י"י... אִם יִהְיֶה הַשָּׁנִים הָאֵלֶּה טַל וּמָטָר כִּי אִם לְפִי דְבָרִי". He declares drought, miraculously brings food to the widow of Tzarfat, revives her son, sets up the contest on Mt Carmel, splits the Jordan, and kills the officers of fifty with heavenly fire, all seemingly without seeking Divine approval beforehand. He even acts against the Torah to build a private altar in a period when doing so was prohibited!
- Elisha's miracles – Like his mentor, Elisha too appears to bring miracles of his own accord, without prior Divine consultation. Thus, he splits the Jordan, cures bitter waters and poisoned food, miraculously provides for the בני הנביאים, promises the Shunamite a son and then revives him when he dies, cures and brings tzara'at, blinds his enemies and gives sight to his friends.
How should all of these cases be understood? Should we assume that, despite the textual silence, the prophets must nonetheless be operating according to a received Divine directive? If not, as Abarbanel asks, "what enabled these prophets... to work miracles without Divine commands"?
