Huldah was a prophetess in the Southern Kingdom of Judah in the late seventh century BCE. King Josiah consults her when he finds a scroll of the law in the Temple, which she then authenticated.
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Consulting the Prophetess HuldahTANAKH
Consulting the Prophetess Huldah
TANAKH
The prophetess Huldah plays a roll in the narrative of King Josiah's re-discovery of a Torah scroll. In the biblical narrative of Kings II, the royal administration consults Huldah on the truth and significance of the discovered scroll, and on God's reaction to their transgressions.
A Lineage of HopeTALMUD
A Lineage of Hope
TALMUD
Huldah's lineage is intriguingly linked to Rahab the prostitute through a shared term in their stories. The Talmudic tractate Megillah explores the lineage of Huldah, revealing her descent from Rahab by connecting the term 'tikvah' in both their stories.
Guidance in a Time of CrisisCOMMENTARY
Guidance in a Time of Crisis
COMMENTARY
The Sefer Torah discovered by King Josiah was rolled to a section warning of exile, prompting the leaders to seek guidance from a prophet. This contemporary study of the book of Kings by Rabbi Chaim Jachter summarizes the context for Huldah the prophetess' role in the story.
Huldah's Bad NewsSECOND TEMPLE
Huldah's Bad News
SECOND TEMPLE
King Josiah's discovery of the holy books of Moses prompted a fearful, active response, including requesting the intervention and advice of Huldah the prophetess. Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, provides a detailed narrative of these events, explaining how Huldah reported God's message of overall doom, along with a little bit of good news.