2521. CONCERNING CERTAIN COMPANIES [SCHOOLS] OF PROPHETS [MENTIONED] IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. There were companies of prophets both amongst the Jews and Israelites, and amongst the Gentiles, who prided themselves on ridiculous gestures, as is here and there read in the Word, who in Judea and the country of the Israelites predicted true as well as false things. If I might assume the reason [thereof] from a neighboring [spirit] there seems to have been such a prophetic spirit with the people because they [were] in externals and only insane as to worship. Their souls after death sometimes seem to be applied to prophets of this sort, in order that they may continue the life of the body and be similarly insane, so that they may be brought back from their phantasies, for the life of the body continued to be similar at first after death. This appears the proximate reason [cause], and to be referred to those things which spirits have spoken with me. - 1748, July 4.