Prophetic Midrash

The loose federation of Israelite tribes eventually gave way, and in its place rose a monarchy and the best-known period of Israel's history: The Kings. The nine Prophets who guided Saul , David , Solomon and Rehoboam through the period of the unified kingdom are: Elkanah ben Jeroham (aka Elka'nah, אֱלְקָנָה) Samuel ben Elkanah (aka Shem'u-el, Shmuel, שְׁמוּאֵל) Nathan (aka Natan, Nosson, נָתָן) Gad (aka גָד) Ahimelech ben Ahitub (aka Ahiah, Ahijah, Achimelekh, אֲחִימֶלֶךְ) Abiathar ben Ahimelech (aka Avyatar, אֶבְיָתָר) Shemaiah HaNavi (aka Shemayah, שְׁמעיָה) Iddo the Seer (aka Aidoin, Iadi, Jadon, Jaddo, Oded, עְדִּי) Agur ben Jakeh (aka אגור בן יקה) Image: Detail from 'Nathan Rebukes David,' woodcut illustration by Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld originally printed in Das Buch der Bücher in Bilden.

As the monarchy fell apart after the death of King Solomon, the kingdom split into two: The Northern Kingdom of Israel, with its ten tribes, and the Southern Kingdom of Judah with its two tribes. The Northern Kingdom was home to nine prophets: Ahijah ben Seraiah (aka Abijah, Achiah, Achiya, Achyah, Ahaiah, Ahiyah, HaShiloni, the Shilonite , אֲהָיָּה) Micaiah ben Imlah (aka Micah, Micha, Micheah, Mikhayahu, Michoyhu, מִיכָיְהוּ) Beeri (aka Be'eri, בְּאֵרִי) Hosea ben Beeri (aka Hoshei'a, Hoshe'a, Oseas, Osee, הוֹשֵׁעַ) Amos (aka `Amos, עָמוֹס) Jonah ben Amittai (aka Dhun Nun, Ionas, Jonas, Yonah, Yunus, يونس ,יוֹנָה) Elijah the Tishbite (aka Elias, Eliyah, Eliyahu, Eliyohu, Ilyas, إلياس ,אֱלִיָּהוּ) Elisha ben Shaphat (aka Al-Yasa`, اليسع ,אֱלִישַׁע) Oded the Samarian (aka Obed, עֹדֵד) Image: Detail from 'Jonah,' Sistine fresco by Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, c. 1511