What is to prophesy?

Where does the Hebrew word translated as "to prophesy" come from?

Ancient manuscripts of the Bible can be found in Hebrew.

In Hebrew, the word translated as "to-prophesy" [נָבָא, naba 5012 in Hebrew, verb] appears to be derived from a root that suggest "bubbling-up" or "springing-up" or "pouring-forth".  

It suggests that something inside a person is bubbling-up from the inside to be poured-forth outside of that person.

Where does the Greek word translated as "to prophesy" come from?

Ancient manuscripts of the Bible can be found in Greek.

In Greek, the word translated as "to-prophesy" [prophéteuó 4395 in Greek, verb] comes from the Greek word translated as "prophet" [prophétés 4396 in Greek, noun].

The Greek word for "prophet" can be understood as someone who speak on behalf of another. 

Thus "to-prophesy" can mean to speak on behalf of another.

For more information:

What is a prophet/prophetess?:
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Examples of people about to prophesy?

Job 32:

It is written: "Elihu says, “I will speak again, for I AM FULL OF WORDS, for the spirit of the belly destroys me. And my belly (is) as a skin of sweet wine, BEING READY TO BURST, having been bound; or as a bellows of a coppersmith having torn in pieces. I WILL SPEAK, THAT I SHALL FIND RELIEF, HAVING OPENED MY LIPS" (Job 32:17-20). Elihu, who was trying to hold on to the word so as not to prophesy, could sense that the word was ready to burst out from him.

Jeremiah 20:

It is written that Jeremiah the prophet said: "I said, “I will by no means name the name of the LORD, and by no means will I speak still upon His name.” BUT IT BECAME AS A BURNING FIRE FLAMING IN MY BONES, and I was weakened on all sides, AND I AM NOT ABLE TO BE BEARING" (Jeremiah 20:9). Jeremiah, trying to hold on to the word so as not to prophesy, could sense that the word was ready to burst out from him.

Correlation between an entity speaking and people prophesying:

There can be a correlation between an entity (such a God) speaking (to people), and (people) prophesying.

For example, it is written: "THE LORD YHWH will do nothing unless HE REVEALS His secret counsel TO HIS SERVANTS the prophets. A lion has roared, who will not fear?" (Amos 3:7-8).

Then it is written: "THE LORD YWHW HAS SPOKEN, WHO will not PROPHESY?" (Amos 3:8).

Here to PROPHESY can be a result of the LORD YHWH having first SPOKEN. The LORD YHWH would first SPEAK [to a servant], and that servant could then as a result PROPHESY.

Distinction between hearing words from an entity and prophesying those words:

Hearing words from an entity would be one thing, but prophesying those words would be another thing as it would be the release of the words heard by pouring the words forth and speaking them.

Seeing a vision would be one thing, but prophesying that vision would also another thing as it would be the release of the vision seen by pouring the content of the vision forth and speaking it.

Diverse things can be "prophesied": 

It is possible for diverse things to be prophesied. 

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Different things can be prophesied:
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To prophesy is not limited to future things: 

It is possible for things about the future to be prophesied, but not only: things about the present and things about the past can also be prophesied. 

For more information:

Prophecies can be about the future, the present and the past:
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