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HULDAH

(Heb. ḥuldâ)

A prophetess from Josiah’s time who predicted the destruction of Jerusalem (2 Kgs. 22:14-20 = 2 Chr. 34:22-28). She is identified as the wife of Shallum, the “keeper of the wardrobe” (2 Kgs. 22:14), which may refer to either the king’s wardrobe or the priest’s vestments.

When the law book was found in the temple, Josiah sent Hilkiah the priest and four others to Huldah seeking a prophecy from the Lord. She responded in typical Deuteronomistic style: a word of judgment against Judah and assurance that Josiah would be buried in peace, spared seeing the city’s destruction (2 Kgs. 22:15-20). Josiah died in battle at Megiddo in 609 b.c.e. (2 Kgs. 23:29-30), but honorably before the city’s siege and the people’s exile.

Scholars give various reasons why Huldah, and not Jeremiah or Zephaniah, was consulted. Some speculate the male prophets were away. Rabbinic commentary, however, maintains that Josiah thought a woman would be more compassionate and more likely to intercede with God on his behalf (Meg. 14b).

According to Jewish tradition, Huldah had an academy or schoolhouse in Jerusalem. She and Jeremiah were kinsfolk and divided prophetic functions between them, Jeremiah preaching to the men and Huldah to the women. The rabbis call Shallum a godly and compassionate man, for which God rewarded him by letting his wife become a prophetess. The rabbis, however, call Huldah “arrogant” and thus her name (“weasel”) is descriptive.

Robin Gallaher Branch

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

HULDAH

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)