Hulda (prophetess)

Hulda ( Hebrew חֻלְדָּה, ḥuldāh ) was a prophetess reported in the Tanach ( 2 Kings 22:14 EU ).

Surname

The name Hulda is probably the feminine form of the Hebrew חלֶד (cholæd) , which means a mole or weasel . The feminine of חֶלֶד (chælæd) , "lifespan", is also possible .

The prophetess

According to 2 Kings 22.8–20 EU and 2 Chr 34.22–28 EU , Hulda was the wife of Schallum. She lived in Jerusalem during the reign of King Josiah of Judah and was a prophetess. When Josiah was reading from the “Book of the Law,” which the high priest Hilkiah found while the temple was being repaired, he sent a delegation to inquire of God. The delegation turned to Hulda, who thereupon aligned a two-part word of God in a prophetic speech. First of all, it was announced in a doom prophecy that because of their disobedience all the calamities described in the “Book” would come upon the renegade nation. In the second part, Hulda passed on the personal promise of salvation to Joschija, according to which he did not have to watch the misfortune because he had humbled himself before God. He will unite with his forefathers and be buried in peace.

The meaning of the narrative results from the connection to the Deuteronomic rule to consult a prophet in emergencies ( 5 Mos 18,9–22 EU ). King Josiah fulfilled this prescription by addressing Hulda; this became the mediator between God and his people. The legitimacy of the Hulda prophetic office is not in doubt, which is evidence that women could exercise it just as much as men.

Web links

Monika Müller: Hulda. In: Michaela Bauks, Klaus Koenen, Stefan Alkier (eds.): The scientific biblical lexicon on the Internet (WiBiLex), Stuttgart 2006 ff., Accessed on February 25, 2009.
Marianne Grohmann: Hulda, the prophetess (2 Kings 22: 14-20) . In: Communio viatorum 2003, pp. 209-216 PDF