So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.
So Hilkiah the priest, along with Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asahiah, went to see Huldah the prophetess. She was the wife of Shallum (who was the son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas), and he was in charge of the royal wardrobe. Huldah lived in Jerusalem in the second district of the city, and they spoke with her there.
The writer is showing how King Josiah's officials sought God's word through Huldah, a female prophet, when they discovered the lost Book of the Law.
📚 Historical Context
This took place during King Josiah's reign around 621 BC when the Book of the Law (likely Deuteronomy) was rediscovered during temple repairs. Rather than consulting male prophets like Jeremiah or Zephaniah who were active at the time, these high-ranking officials went to Huldah, demonstrating that God used women as authoritative spokespersons for His word. The 'college' or 'second district' was likely a newer section of Jerusalem where scholars and educated people lived.
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