HULDAH, a Prophetess, the wife of Shallum; was consulted by Josiah concerning the book of the Law which had been 2 Kings xxii. 14, 15.found in the Treasury of the Temple.
King Josiah having set people to work upon the repairs of the Temple, Hilkiah the High-Priest found there in the Treasury 2 Kings xxii. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, &c.the original of the book of the Law, and Shaphan the Overseer being sent thither with a message from the King, Hilkiah told him, that in the Temple he had found the book of God’s Law, and at the same time put it into his hands. Shaphan took and read it, and after he had given the King an account of the commission which he had been charged with, he told him, that he had received the book of the Law from the High-Priest, and read it before the King; who, upon hearing it, rent his clothes, and commanded Hilkiah the High-Priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Asahiah the King’s servant, to go and consult the Lord for him. Go, said he, enquire of the Lord for me, for the people and all Judah, concerning the contents of this book; for the wrath of God is terribly inflamed against us, because our fathers would not hearken unto the words of this book, nor fulfil what is commanded in it.
They therefore went to Huldah the Prophetess, the wife of Shallum Keeper of the Wardrobe, who dwelt at Jerusalem in the second city; to her they related what had happened, and declared to her the King’s orders. Huldah answered them, Thus saith the Lord, Tell the man who sent you to me, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the evils which are threatned in this book, because they have forsaken me to worship strange Gods, and have provoked me by their whole conduct; my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be extinguished. As to the King of Judah who sent you, you shall say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, because thou wert touched with fear at the reading of this book, and hast humbled thyself before the Lord, hast rent thy garments, and shed tears in my presence, I have heard thee, saith the Lord, thou shalt be gathered to thy fathers, and buried peaceably in thine own sepulchre, and thine eyes shall not behold the evils which I will bring upon this place.
2 Kings xxiii. 1, 2, 3, 4.The King having received this answer, convened all the Elders of Judah and Jerusalem in the Temple, was there present himself with them, and all the people from the highest to the lowest, read to them out of the book which had been found, renewed with them the covenant of the Lord, and made them promise to observe his Laws and Ordinances more faithfully for the future; at the same time he destroyed all the remains of Idolatry which were in the Temple, and in all the Country. The time of Huldah’s death we are not acquainted with; but the discovery of the book of the Law, whereof we are speaking, fell out in the year of the World 3380, before Jesus Christ 620, before the Vulgar Æra 623.