Huldah: The Lost Prophetess

How many of you have honestly heard of Huldah?

Even though her story is intertwined with Josiah, a notorious and good king of Israel, she is rarely mentioned.

Paganism swept over Israel and reigned supreme for over fifty years. When Josiah became King, he began a long journey of undoing the wickedness done by previous kings. His “clergy” stumbled upon the Book of the Law, hidden in the temple (2 Chronicles tells us this book was from the law of Moses, many believe it to be a lost segment of Dueteronomy). The people had forgotten God’s Law and turned their hearts to other gods. The two kings prior to Josiah were perhaps the most wicked in all of Israel’s history, leading their nation into idolatry, witchcraft, human sacrifice, temple prostitution, and other heinous practices. When the words in the book were read out loud, Josiah tores his clothes and repented. Josiah then sent the High Priest Hilkiah to bring the book of the law to one of God’s faithful:

“Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found” (2 Kings 22:13, emphasis added).

So Hilkiah brings the book to Huldah, a prophetess and wife of Shallum (another married women who holds a position of spiritual authority), who remained faithful in one of Israel’s darkest moments in history. She interpreted the words in the book and delivered a prophetic message to Hilkiah, the high priest, for King Josiah. So, they took scripture to a woman to find out what it meant….interesting. I’ll refrain from pointing out the obvious implications of this…Oh, who am I kidding? She’s teaching them scripture! Men, in leadership no less, are asking a woman to tell them what the words of the book mean and what they need to do next! Sorry, I just couldn’t resist. :)

Huldah then speaks for God:

“Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you,’ declares the LORD.”–2 Kings 22:18-19

Read the entire story here: 2 Kings 22 or 2 Chronicles 34

So we have a king, a high priest, and other men holding a position of spiritual authority seeking spiritual direction from a woman. They even receive a blessing from the Lord because they humbled themselves and listened to what God has spoken through her.

She faithfully delivered the words God gave to her. Luckily, these men were not deluded by pride and could humbly receive the commands of God via woman.J. Lee Grady makes this correlation:

“It is odd that a group of spiritual leaders operating under the Old Covenant in Israel looked to an anointed woman of God for advice when some Christian leaders today–in the New Covenant age–would consider Huldah ‘out of order’ for assuming a place of influence in the church.”

Yet again, we have a woman, Huldah, who throws a wrench in rigid complementarians’ “clean-cut” theology.

next post: miriam, the first worship leader