Huldah

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

HULDAH (‘weasel’; an old totem clan-name so W. R. Smith). ‘The prophetess, wife of Shallum, keeper of the wardrobe,’ living in a part of Jerusalem called the Mishneh (‘second quarter’), whose advice Josiah sought, by a deputation of his chief ministers, on the alarming discovery of ‘the book of the law’ in the Temple, in 621 b.c. (  2 Kings 22:3-20 =   2 Chronicles 34:8-28 ). Her response was threatening for the nation, in the strain of Jeremiah, while promising exemption to the pious king. Huldah ranks with Deborah and Hannah among the rare women-prophets of the OT.

G. G. Findlay.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

The prophetess, the wife of Shallum. Her name is the same as the Hebrew name for the world. Josiah consulted her on account of the book found in the house of the Lord. ( 2 Kings 22:14) We cannot sufficiently admire the firmness of this woman, in the answer she returned to king Josiah. Tell the man that sent you, thus saith the Lord, "Behold, I will bring evil upon this place; but because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place." It is a blessed thing to be found faithful both to God and man!

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Wife of Shallum and a prophetess. King Josiah sent to her when a copy of the law had been found. Her message from the Lord was that God would surely bring the evils upon the people according to what the book said, because they had turned to idolatry; but Josiah having humbled himself, the Lord did not bring the evils in his day.  2 Kings 22:14;  2 Chronicles 34:22 .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Hul'dah. (Weasel). A prophetess, whose husband, Shallum, was keeper of the wardrobe, in the time of King Josiah. It was to her that Josiah had recourse, when Hilkiah found a book of the law, to procure an authoritative opinion on it.  2 Kings 22:14;  2 Chronicles 34:22. (B.C. 623).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 2 Kings 22:14-20 2 Chronicles 34:22-28 Exodus 15:20 Judges 4:4 Isaiah 8:3

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The prophetess in the reign of Josiah, consulted respecting the denunciations in the newfound copy of the Book of the Law,  2 Kings 22:14-20   2 Chronicles 34:22-28 , B. C. 623.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

The prophetess consulted by Josiah when Hilkiah found the law. (See Josiah ; HILKIAH.) Wife of Shallum, keeper of the wardrobe; living in the suburbs cokkege of Jerusalem. (See College .)

Holman Bible Dictionary

 2 Kings 22:14Josiah

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Hebrew Chuldah', חֻלְדָּה , Weasel; Sept. ῎Ολδαν , Josephus Ο᾿Λδά , Ant. 10, 4, 2), wife of Shallum, a prophetess, who, in the reign of Josiah, abode in that part of Jerusalem called the Mishneh, where the book of the law was discovered by the high-priest Hilkiah. B.C. 623. This prophetess was consulted respecting the denunciations which it contained. She then delivered an oracular response of mingled judgment and mercy; declaring the not remote destruction of Jerusalem, but promising Josiah that he should be taken from the world before these evil days came ( 2 Kings 22:14-20;  2 Chronicles 21:4). Huldah is only known for this circumstance. She was probably at this time the widow of Shallum, a name too common to suggest any information; he is said to have been "keeper of the wardrobe," but whether the priestly or the royal wardrobe is uncertain. If the former, he must have been a Levite, if not a priest. (See Harhas). As to her residence בִּמַּשְׁנֶה , in the Mishneh, which the A.V. renders "in the college," there is no ground to conclude that any school or college of the prophets is to be understood. The name means second or double; and many of the Jews themselves (as Jarchi states) understood it as the name of the suburb lying between the inner and outer wall of Jerusalem; perhaps 1. q. "the lower city," or Acra (q.v.). It is safest to regard it as a proper name denoting some quarter of Jerusalem about which we are not certain, and, accordingly, to translate in the mishneh, for which we have the precedent of the Septuagint, which has Ἑν Τῇ Μασεν῝ . The place of her residence is mentioned probably to show why she, being at hand, was resorted to on this urgent occasion, and not Jeremiah, who was then probably away at his native town Anathoth, or at some more distant place. There were gates of the temple in the middle of the southern wall, called "the gates of Huldah" (Mishna, tit. Middoth, 1, 3), which, if they were so named from any connection with tile prophetess, may indicate her residence on Ophel. (See Shallum); (See Josiah).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Huldah, or rather Chuldah, wife of Shallum, a prophetess, who, in the reign of Josiah, abode in that part of Jerusalem called the Mishneh, where the book of the Law was discovered by the high-priest Hilkiah. This prophetess was consulted respecting the denunciations which it contained. She then delivered an oracular response of mingled judgment and mercy; declaring the not remote destruction of Jerusalem, but promising Josiah that he should be taken from the world before these evil days came; B.C. 623 . Huldah is only known for this circumstance. She was probably at this time the widow of Shallum, a name too common to suggest any information; but he is said to have been grandson of one Harhas, 'keeper of the ward robe,' but whether the priestly or the royal wardrobe is uncertain. If the former, he must have been a Levite, if not a priest. As to her residence, it is said to have been 'in the Mishneh,' which the Auth. Vers. renders 'in the college.' But there is no ground to conclude that any school or college of the prophets is to be understood. The name means 'second' or 'double;' and many of the Jews themselves (as Jarchi states) understood it as the name of the suburb lying between the inner and outer wall of Jerusalem. It is safest to regard it as a proper name denoting some quarter of Jerusalem about which we are not certain, and, accordingly, to translate 'in the Mishneh.'

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hul´da ( חלדּה , ḥuldāh , "weasel"; Ὅλδα , Hólda ): A prophetess who lived in Jerusalem during the reign of Josiah. She was the wife of Shallum, keeper of the wardrobe, and resided in the "Mishneh" or second part or quarter of Jerusalem (location unknown). Cheyne says it should read, "She was sitting in the upper part of the gate of the Old City," i.e. in a public central place ready to receive any who wished to inquire of Yahweh. He gives no reason for such a change of text. The standing and reputation of Huldah in the city are attested by the fact that she was consulted when the Book of the Law was discovered. The king, high priest, counselors, etc., appealed to her rather than to Jeremiah, and her word was accepted by all as the word of Yahweh (  2 Kings 22:14-20;  2 Chronicles 34:22-29 ).