Huldah the Prophetess
Huldah was a prophetess who lived in the time of Josiah. Josiah was the king of Judah who was faithful to the LORD God. He asked for a trustworthy opinion on the book of the law which was found in the Temple. Huldah was trustworthy and dedicated to the LORD. Huldah stood up for the ways of the LORD God and insisted on changes in the name of the LORD. She did it with boldness, courage and dedication to the LORD.
2 Kings 22:14-20; 2 Chronicles 34: 22-28
Huldah was a prophetess and a wife. Her husband was Shallum, the keeper of the king’s wardrobes during the reign of Josiah (639-609 B.C.). (Achtemeier, 1985, p.410). Josiah was eight years old when he reigned in Jerusalem thirty one years. Josiah did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father. (2 Chronicles 34: 1-2).
Huldah dwelt in Jerusalem in the college (in the second quarter or the second district). Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah to commune with her. There had been a discovery of a ‘scroll of Moses’ in the Temple. Huldah prophesied in the name of the LORD God of Israel telling them about the destruction of Jerusalem. Huldah added that Josiah, the king of Judah would die before the catastrophe. Huldah’s prophecy helped spur vast religious reforms (2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 34). (Achtemeier, 1985, p.410 ).
Huldah was not afraid to prophesize the LORD would bring destruction upon this evil place and upon the inhabitants and all the curses that were written in the book which the priests had read before the king of Judah. The LORD God of Israel relayed the message to the king of Judah, Josiah. Because his heart was tender, and he did humble himself before the LORD God when he heard the words against this place, and against the inhabitants he humbled himself before the LORD and rend his clothes and weep before the LORD. The LORD said He would gather Josiah to his grave in peace, he would not see all the evil that the LORD would bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants. (2 Chronicles 34:22-28).
What an honor that Huldah was chosen to speak for the LORD God regarding what was written in the book that was found in the process of repairing the temple. It is interesting to note that the prophet Habakkuk was living at this time. The first choice of the king of Judah was Huldah.
Huldah was trustworthy and dedicated to the LORD. There were many changes that occurred because Huldah was trustworthy and dedicated to the LORD. All the vessels that were made for baal, a false god, were commanded to be burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron and the ashes were carried to Bethel. The idolatrous priests were put down; this could mean they were told to cease of they were destroyed, killed. The King of Judah brought out the grove from the house of the LORD and burn it at the brook of Kidron, stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder upon the graves of the children of the people. King Josiah broke down the houses of the sodomites. All the priests were brought out of the cities of Judah. (2 Kings 23:4-9)
Josiah did all these transformations because he trusted the interpretation and dedication Huldah had for the LORD God. Many want to say that the greatest accomplishment that Huldah did was to show us that a woman can be a wife and also work outside the home. I suggest that Huldah stood up for the ways of the LORD God and insisted on changes in the name of the LORD. She did it with boldness, courage and dedication to the LORD.
Women of Christ need to find our voices when it comes to the atrocities that are going on around us. Huldah has shown us that change comes one step at a time by one person at a time. You cannot not change everything at once many of the atrocities are socially acceptable by the “worldly.” It is our responsibility as women of Christ to make sure those in our lives know these atrocities are not acceptable to us and most of all the LORD God. Things like abortion, porn, treatment of children, abuse of children, spousal abuse, even the way the church are failing their people. The list can go on and on.
Reference:
Achtemeier, Paul J. (1985). Harper’s Bible Dictionary, 1st ed. San Francisco; Publishers Harper & Row and Society of Biblical Literature.
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MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Huldah: the Prophetess:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1831,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, January) “Huldah: the Prophetess:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1831,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Huldah: the Prophetess:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1831, (accessed).
Joanne B. Holstein is a Becker Bible Studies teacher and author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She has received her Master of Science degree in Psychology/Christian Counseling with honors from Liberty University. She is well-known as a counselor to Christian faithful who are struggling with tremendous burden in these difficult times. She is a leading authority on the history of development of the Christian churches and the practices and beliefs of world religions and cults.
