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Huldah

A prophetess living in Jerusalem, the wife of Shallum keeper of the wardrobe. When the book of the law was found during Josiah's repairs to the temple, the king sent the high priest and four other officials to enquire of the Lord — and they went to her, not to Jeremiah or Zephaniah. She confirmed that the disaster written in the book would come on the place, but told Josiah that because his heart was tender and he had humbled himself, he would be gathered to his grave in peace.

Role: Prophetess

Lived: c. 7th century BC

Belonged to: Prophets

Born: Jerusalem

What we know — and how we know it

Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 2 Scholarly — supported scholarly belief · 1

Origin & birthplace

BibleFrom Jerusalem.

2 Kings 22:14

↳ Jerusalem

Family & lineage

BibleWife of Shallum.

2 Kings 22:14

↳ Shallum (2Ki 22:14)

Life, role & deeds

ScholarlyIt was Huldah the prophetess, not Jeremiah or Zephaniah, whom Josiah's officials consulted to authenticate the book of the Law found in the Temple — the spark of his great reform. By later Jewish tradition the southern gates of the Temple Mount, the 'Huldah Gates', preserve her name.

Her role in 2 Kings 22; the Huldah Gates by later tradition

↳ Josiah

Where in scripture

2 Kings 2 Chronicles

So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they talked with her.
2 Kings 22:14 — Consulted about the scroll

So Hilkiah, and they whom the king had commanded, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter), and they spoke to her to that effect.
2 Chronicles 34:22

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.

2 Kings 22:14 2 Chronicles 34:22

Family

In their own words — 2 recorded sayings

“And she said to them, The Lord, the God of Israel, says, Say to the man who sent you to me, These are the words of the Lord: See, I will send evil on this place and on its people, even everything which the king of Judah has been reading in the book; Because they have given me up, burning offerings to other gods and moving me to wrath by all the work of their hands; so my wrath will be on fire against this place, and will not be put out. But to the king of Judah who sent you to get directions from the Lord, say, This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has said: As to the words which have…” — 2 Kings 22:15-20

“And she said to them, The Lord, the God of Israel, has said, Say to the man who sent you to me, These are the words of the Lord: See, I will send evil on this place and on its people, even all the curses in the book which they have been reading before the king of Judah; Because they have given me up, burning offerings to other gods and moving me to wrath by all the works of their hands; so my wrath is let loose on this place and will not be put out. But to the king of Judah who sent you to get directions from the Lord, say, This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has said: Because you have…” — 2 Chronicles 34:23-28

Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).

Events

Josiah Finds the Book of the Law

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