Final answer:
In the Old Testament, a prophet was considered holy because he communicated directly with the divine and spoke God's Word, exemplified by figures such as Moses.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the Old Testament, a prophet was holy because he spoke God's Word. A prophet is someone who is considered to have a direct line of communication with the divine and conveys divine messages to the people. Prophets play a critical role in many religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. For example, Moses is a significant prophet in these religions, known for leading the Hebrews out of Egypt and receiving the Ten Commandments from God. The source of a prophet's authority is their purported direct connection with God, not from a formal institutional role like that of a priest or scribe. Therefore, within the context of the Old Testament, prophets such as Moses were seen to have a unique authority due to their intimate relationship with the divine and their role as intermediaries between God and the people.