Who was Huldah the Prophetess?

Huldah the prophetess–have you ever heard of her?

She was female, not one of those towering Charlton Heston-type prophets.

As a contemporary of King Josiah and Jeremiah, she lived in Jerusalem 2700 years ago.

Her mention in the Old Testament brings up an important question.

Can God use women as mouthpieces to share His words and thoughts?

Yes.

But who was she?

What do we know about Huldah the prophetess?

Some believe the name Huldah means “weasel,” or a burrowing animal. Judging by the Hebrew word itself, Huldah also could mean “abiding” or “continuing.”

It may be she focused her attention scouring Hebrew scrolls to understand the Torah and what God wanted his people to know.

Jewish history recounts her ability as a scholar or seer.

She lived in Jerusalem’s Second Quarter, the area just west of the Temple Mount along the ancient north wall of the city.

The King James Bible translated the area’s name as “The College,” implying–for good reason–the area housed Temple scholars.

Jewish oral tradition believes Huldah taught in a school for women. (It’s worth noting few women, if any, at that time studied Torah).

Married to Shallum, son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the royal wardrobe, she had access to members of Jerusalem’s royalty.

Many scholars believe she and the prophet Jeremiah were cousins.

What is a prophetess?

A female prophet.

Or, a woman God used to speak Biblical truth.

The Old Testament recounts three other prophetesses.

• Moses’ sister Miriam.
• Deborah.
• The false prophetess Noadiah (Nehemiah called her out in Nehemiah 6:14).

New Testament prophetesses were Anna and Acts evangelist Philip’s four daughters.

A prophetess also might be the wife of a prophet, as in the case of Isaiah’s wife.

Some believe Mrs. Isaiah’s “prophecy” was giving birth to her child Maher-Salal-Hash-Baz. It depends on how you read the following:

 And I [Isaiah] went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me [Isaiah], “Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz; for before the boy knows how to cry ‘My father’ or ‘My mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the king of Assyria.”

Isaiah 8:1-4 ESV

How did God use Huldah?

When Josiah became King of Israel, he ordered a cleaning and repair of the sadly neglected Temple.

18 years later (Josiah was 26), workers discovered a scroll in one of the cluttered storage rooms and brought it to High Priest Hilkiah. Hilkiah passed it on to the King’s secretary Shaphan, who read it and took it to King Josiah.

It was a section of the Torah (the first five books of the Bible)–possibly Deuteronomy. This portion apparently recounted the dire consequences of not listening to, studying, and obeying God.

Horrified, the King tore his clothing in grief.

He feared God would send his wrath because under his forefathers’ rule, the people had not kept the law.

King Josiah sent High Priest Hilkiah, Shaphan and his son, along with three other men to a prophet to determine if they’d found an authentic scroll.

They went to visit Huldah.

Why Huldah?

The Bible doesn’t say. Some believe Jeremiah was out of town!

The Gemara asks: But how could Josiah himself ignore Jeremiah and send emissaries to Huldah?

The Sages of the school of Rabbi Sheila say: Because women are more compassionate, and he hoped that what she would tell them would not be overly harsh.

Sefaria: Megillah 14b commenting on 2 Kings 22:14-16

Historian Jonathan Stökl observed:

Huldah is clearly introduced as an authority figure with a skills set available neither to
King Josiah nor to the High Priest Hilkiah.

The fact that she is a woman does not appear to be an issue to the author(s), neither in the characterization of her, nor in the oracle that she provides. Unlike [the prophetess] Deborah, she is depicted as capable of controlling her access to the deity.

Jonathan Stökl, p. 12 Deborah, Huldah, and Innibana: Constructions of Female Prophecy in the ancient Near East and the Hebrew Bible

What did King Josiah learn from Huldah?

Stökl continued:

The king requires an oracle . . . she [Hulda] also appears to be working for the king by providing him with information that he requires to make the necessary decisions through her oracle(s).

Jonathan Stökl, p. 12 Deborah, Huldah, and Innibana: Constructions of Female Prophecy in the ancient Near East and the Hebrew Bible

King Josiah had a question: was he and his kingdom doomed?

Huldah provided a prophetic oracle.

By so doing, she confirmed the validity of the scroll found in the temple.

In her oracle, which began “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel,” she acknowledge God’s wrath would be kindled. Disaster would come to Jerusalem, nothing could stop it.

King Josiah, himself, got better news. God recognized Josiah’s penitent heart.

God saw him rent his garment, weep, grieve and humble himself.

For that reason, the disasters wouldn’t come until after Josiah’s death in 609 BC.

Babylon conquered Jerusalem and enslaved the people 24 years later in 587 BC.

What happened to Hulda?

We don’t know for sure.

But, she does have a tomb in Jerusalem.

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