Taking a refreshingly original approach to a familiar topic, this authoritative study examines the Biblical prophets and Jewish and Christian interpretations of prophecy. Beginning with a broad discussion of the phenomena of prophecy and the prophetic literature, Sawyer explores the work of Old Testament prophets, ranging from Moses to Huldah and Daniel to Malachi. In marked contrast to other studies, he pays particular attention to legends about the prophets, both canonical and apocryphal, many of which have been considerably more influential in the history of Western civilization than the prophets' original words. He concludes with a chapter on Jewish, Christian and Muslim interpretation and the matter of the fulfillment of prophecy.