Huldah’s Prophecy of Judgment

14 So(A) the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess(B) Huldah, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah,(C) son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District.(D) They spoke with her.

15 She said to them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Say to the man who sent you to me, 16 ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, fulfilling[a] all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read,(E) 17 because they have abandoned me and burned incense to other gods in order to anger me with all the work of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.’(F) 18 Say this to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the Lord: ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: As for the words that you heard,(G) 19 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the Lord(H) when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse,(I) and because you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I myself have heard’—this is the Lord’s declaration. 20 ‘Therefore, I will indeed gather you to your ancestors, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace.(J) Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place.’”

Then they reported[b] to the king.

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Footnotes

  1. 22:16 fulfilling supplied for clarity
  2. 22:20 Lit returned a word

14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah. She was married to Shallum, Tikvah’s son and Harhas’ grandson, who was in charge of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the second district. When they spoke to her, 15 she replied, “This is what the Lord, Israel’s God, says: Tell this to the man who sent you to me: 16 This is what the Lord says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and its citizens—all the words in the scroll that Judah’s king has read! 17 My anger burns against this place, never to be quenched, because they’ve deserted me and have burned incense to other gods, angering me by everything they have done.[a] 18 But also say this to the king of Judah, who sent you to question the Lord: This is what the Lord, Israel’s God, says about the message you’ve just heard: 19 Because your heart was broken and you submitted before the Lord when you heard what I said about this place and its citizens—that they will become a horror and a curse—and because you ripped your clothes and cried before me, I have listened to you, declares the Lord. 20 That’s why I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will go to your grave in peace. You won’t experience the disaster I am about to bring on this place.”

Josiah’s reform

When they reported Huldah’s words to the king,

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 22:17 Or made