the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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2 Kings 22:14
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedContextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
prophetess: Exodus 15:20, Judges 4:4, Micah 6:4, Luke 1:41-56, Luke 2:36, Acts 21:9, 1 Corinthians 11:5
Tikvah: 2 Chronicles 34:22, Tikvath, Hasrah
wardrobe: Heb. garments, 2 Kings 10:22, Nehemiah 7:72
college: or, second part
Reciprocal: 2 Kings 19:2 - he sent Eliakim 2 Kings 20:4 - court 2 Chronicles 34:8 - sent Shaphan Isaiah 8:3 - the prophetess Jeremiah 21:2 - Inquire Jeremiah 26:22 - Achbor Jeremiah 36:12 - Elnathan Jeremiah 40:5 - Ahikam Ezekiel 8:11 - Shaphan Ezekiel 13:17 - prophesy Zephaniah 1:10 - the second Hebrews 13:4 - Marriage
Cross-References
On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.
On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.
On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.
On the third day Abraham caught sight of the place in the distance.
Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.
On the third day [of travel] Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.
Forsothe in the thridde dai he reiside hise iyen, and seiy a place afer;
On the third day -- Abraham lifteth up his eyes, and seeth the place from afar;
On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went down to Huldah the prophetess,.... Such as were Miriam and Deborah; in imitation of those Satan had very early his women prophetesses, the Sibyls, so called from their being the council and oracle of God, and consulted as such on occasion, as Huldah now was; and the first of the Sibyls, according to Suidas n, was a Chaldean or a Persian; and some say an Hebrew; and Pausanias expressly says o, that with the Hebrews above Palestine was a woman prophetess, whose name was Sabba, whom some called the Babylonian, others the Egyptian Sibyl. Aelian relates p that one of them was a Jewess:
the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; but whether the king's wardrobe in the palace, or the priest's in the temple, is not certain; he is called Hasrah, 2 Chronicles 34:22 who is here called Harhas:
now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college; in the college of the prophets; in the house of instruction, as the Targum; the school where the young prophets were instructed and trained up; though Jarchi observes, that some interpret this "within the two walls"; Jerusalem it seems had three walls, and within the second this woman lived; there were gates in the temple, as he also observes, called the gates of Huldah q, but whether from her cannot be said: this place of her dwelling seems to be mentioned as a reason why these messengers went to her, because she was near, as well as well known for her prophetic spirit, prudence, and faithfulness, and not to Jeremiah, who in all probability was at Anathoth; and so also is the reason why they went not to Zephaniah, if he as yet had begun to prophesy, because he might be at a distance also: and they communed with her; upon the subject the king sent them about.
n In voce σιβυλλα. o Phocica, sive, l. 10. p. 631. p Var. Hist. l. 12. c. 35. q Misn. Middot, c. 1. sect. 3.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Went unto Huldah - It might have been expected that the royal commissioners would have gone to Jeremiah, on whom the prophetic spirit had descended in Josiah’s 13th year Jeremiah 1:2, or five years previous to the finding of the Law. Perhaps he was at some distance from Jerusalem at the time; or his office may not yet have been fully recognized.
The prophetess - Compare the cases of Miriam Exodus 15:20; Numbers 12:2 and Deborah Judges 4:4.
Keeper of the wardrobe - literally, “of the robes.” Shallum had the superintendence, either of the vestments of the priests who served in the temple, or of the royal robe-room in which dresses of honor were stored, in case of their being needed for presents (see 2 Kings 5:5 note).
In the college - The marginal translation “in the second part” is preferable; and probably refers to the new or outer city - that which had been enclosed by the wall of Manasseh, to the north of the old city 2 Chronicles 33:14.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 2 Kings 22:14. Went unto Huldah the prophetess — This is a most singular circumstance: At this time Jeremiah was certainly a prophet in Israel, but it is likely he now dwelt at Anathoth. and could not be readily consulted; Zephaniah also prophesied under this reign, but probably he had not yet begun; Hilkiah was high priest, and the priest's lips should retain knowledge. Shaphan was scribe, and must have been conversant in sacred affairs to have been at all fit for his office; and yet Huldah, a prophetess, of whom we know nothing but by this circumstance, is consulted on the meaning of the book of the law; for the secret of the Lord was neither with Hilkiah the high priest, Shaphan the scribe, nor any other of the servants of the king, or ministers of the temple! We find from this, and we have many facts in all ages to corroborate it, that a pontiff, a pope, a bishop, or a priest, may, in some cases, not possess the true knowledge of God; and that a simple woman, possessing the life of God in her soul, may have more knowledge of the Divine testimonies than many of those whose office it is to explain and enforce them.
On this subject Dr. Priestley in his note makes the following very judicious remark: -
"It pleased God to distinguish several women with the spirit of prophecy, as well as other great attainments, to show that in his sight, and especially in things of a spiritual nature, there is no essential pre-eminence in the male sex, though in some things the female be subject to the male."
