Was Noadiah a »Trustworthy« Prophet?: The Demise of Prophecy in the Second Temple Period

According to popular scholarly consensus, the role of the classical prophets ceased following the rebuilding of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period. This paper will attempt to propose an explanation of 1 Maccabees’ comments about the cessation of prophecy by undertaking a careful and broad examination of the dynamics involved in the Hebrew Bible’s final chronological confrontation between a prophet and religious leader of Israel: Noadiah and Nehemiah. Attention will be given to exploring the basis for Nehemiah’s deliberate dismissal of prophecy and how his choices set a precedent for future leaders of Judah, culminating in the positions taken by the Hasmoneans. In conclusion, it will be argued that Nehemiah’s choice to elevate his own ability for insight above and against those who claimed a profession that typically was seen as granting exclusive access to such things, led to a gradual ostracization of prophets and a diminishing belief in their »trustworthiness«.