seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Kings 22:11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: 13 “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. Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”
14 Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.
15 She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. 17 Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made,[a] my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ 18 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: 19 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 a curse (b) and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 20 Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’”
So they took her answer back to the king.
14 Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.
15 She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. 17 Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made,[a] my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ 18 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: 19 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 a curse (b) and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 20 Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’”
So they took her answer back to the king.
a. 2 Kings 22:17 Or by everything they have done
b. 2 Kings 22:19 That is, their names would be used in cursing (see Jer. 29:22); or, others would see that they are cursed.
So because Josiah "humbled" himself before God..... The commentary this morning is from the easy English site.
When King Josiah heard about the book, he was very sad. He asked his officials to discover what God wanted him to do. Josiah realised that God was very angry with the people in Judah. They had not obeyed God’s laws. Josiah wanted to do something so that God would not still be angry with them. Josiah wanted to hear what he should do about that. The officials went to talk to Huldah, a female prophet. It seems that her husband was well-known. He had an important job, perhaps in the temple as our translation says, or perhaps in the palace. And maybe that is how the officials knew about Huldah.
Huldah told Josiah that God would destroy Jerusalem. And God would punish its people. The people had made him very angry because they had worshipped idols. Their evil deeds had become so severe that they could not avoid punishment.
However, Huldah promised Josiah that he would not see that disaster. It would not happen during his life. That was because he had become humble towards God. Those people that are afraid of God’s anger are least likely to suffer it.
Huldah told Josiah that God would destroy Jerusalem. And God would punish its people. The people had made him very angry because they had worshipped idols. Their evil deeds had become so severe that they could not avoid punishment.
However, Huldah promised Josiah that he would not see that disaster. It would not happen during his life. That was because he had become humble towards God. Those people that are afraid of God’s anger are least likely to suffer it.
Huldah means "mole". That's from yesterday's verses. Huldah was a modern woman, apparently. She had a modern name. Like others she was named after an animal. Apparently it was popular. Apparently she was married to someone who worked in government. The commentary says her husband may have worked in the Temple or the Palace as a translator. Seems to me... they were both translators....
All the commentaries are preachy this morning. This portion comes from the blueletterbible.org site.
Huldah the prophetess: We know little of this woman other than this mention here (and the similar account recorded in 2 Chronicles 34:22). With the apparent approval of King Josiah, Hilkiah the priest consulted this woman for spiritual guidance. It wasn't because of her own wisdom and spirituality, but that she was recognized as a prophetess and could reveal the heart and mind of God.
Your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place: This was God's mercy to Josiah. His own godliness and tender heart could not stop the eventual judgment of God, but it could delay it. Inevitable judgment is sometimes delayed because of the tender hearts of the people of God..
Your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place: This was God's mercy to Josiah. His own godliness and tender heart could not stop the eventual judgment of God, but it could delay it. Inevitable judgment is sometimes delayed because of the tender hearts of the people of God..
If you get a chance.... follow this link... I was looking up the "Second Quarter" in Jerusalem... because it says that's where Huldah lived with her husband, Shallum. I found a link at Bible-History.com that shows "Huldah's Gate" and it gives a little historical perspective to what some people call a work of fiction.
In the wall below the Temple were the gates of the prophetess Huldah, they were the two main gates that led into the Temple Mount in the Second Temple Jerusalem of Herod the Great. The wall measured 211 feet. The Ophel corner was so high that from its top "an Arab with a spear looked like a flax worm."
A prophetess, the wife of Shallum, who was keeper of the wardrobe (2 Kings 22:14). She dwelt, in the reign of Josiah, in that part of Jerusalem called the Mishneh (the "Second Quarter"). To her the king sent Hilkiah the priest, Shaphan the scribe, and others to consult respecting the denunciations in the lately found book of the law. She then delivered an oracular response of mingled judgment and mercy, declaring the near destruction of Jerusalem but promising Josiah that he should be taken from the world before these evil days came (22:14-20; 34:22-28), about 639 BC Huldah is known only from this circumstance.
A prophetess, the wife of Shallum, who was keeper of the wardrobe (2 Kings 22:14). She dwelt, in the reign of Josiah, in that part of Jerusalem called the Mishneh (the "Second Quarter"). To her the king sent Hilkiah the priest, Shaphan the scribe, and others to consult respecting the denunciations in the lately found book of the law. She then delivered an oracular response of mingled judgment and mercy, declaring the near destruction of Jerusalem but promising Josiah that he should be taken from the world before these evil days came (22:14-20; 34:22-28), about 639 BC Huldah is known only from this circumstance.
Well that's so interesting to me. Shallum was an interpretor and she was a seamstress. They both worked for the Temple or the Palace. I bet she talked about God when she was sewing.... she wouldn't have been at the old singer machine... she would have been stitching each piece by hand. That gave her plenty of time for thinking about bigger matters than the dress in her hands. A seamstress....
There are a lot of good people in the Bible. Remember, when David was dying.... they brought in a nursing assistant.... now there's a seamstress. God uses everyday people.
I guess the point here is.... God used an everyday person, a seamstress, to speak to good hearted people, like king Josiah. Josiah was freaking out... ignorance of the book of Deuteronomy is no excuse.... punishment had to be dealt out.... people willingly did something they knew was wrong even if they didn't have the rules written down for them..... to read, even though they didn't know how to read. But.... Huldah told Josiah.... he wouldn't have to witness it.... God would hold it off.
A seamstress, an interpreter, and a king went into a boardroom.....
