the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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Bible Encyclopedias
Huldah
Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
or 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.'
Public Domain.
Kitto, John, ed. Entry for 'Huldah'. "Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature". https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/kbe/h/huldah.html.
