The prophetic message awakens the people of God and calls them back from their perverse ways. But the history of the investigation of prophecy shows that the understanding of these messages has changed profoundly over time. Claus Westermann provides indications of the astonishing differences in the conceptions of prophecy throughout the history of its interpretation. He also summarises and analyses the works of the scholars over the last fifty years who have made major contributions to the development of prophetic research. Translated into English by Hugh C. White, this providesa valuable introduction to some of the major problems that have been, and still are, at the heart of the study of Old Testament prophecy.