2 Kings 22:14
Ver. 14. So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went down to Huldah the prophetess,.... Such as were Miriam and Deborah; in imitation of those Satan had very early his women prophetesses, the Sibyls, so called from their being the council and oracle of God, and consulted as such on occasion, as Huldah now was; and the first of the Sibyls, according to Suidas {n}, was a Chaldean or a Persian; and some say an Hebrew; and Pausanias expressly says {o}, that with the Hebrews above Palestine was a woman prophetess, whose name was Sabba, whom some called the Babylonian, others the Egyptian Sibyl. Aelian relates {p} that one of them was a Jewess:
the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; but whether the king's wardrobe in the palace, or the priest's in the temple, is not certain; he is called Hasrah, 2Ch 34:22 who is here called Harhas:now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college; in the college of the prophets; in the house of instruction, as the Targum; the school where the young prophets were instructed and trained up; though Jarchi observes, that some interpret this "within the two walls"; Jerusalem it seems had three walls, and within the second this woman lived; there were gates in the temple, as he also observes, called the gates of Huldah {q}, but whether from her cannot be said: this place of her dwelling seems to be mentioned as a reason why these messengers went to her, because she was near, as well as well known for her prophetic spirit, prudence, and faithfulness, and not to Jeremiah, who in all probability was at Anathoth; and so also is the reason why they went not to Zephaniah, if he as yet had begun to prophesy, because he might be at a distance also: and they communed with her; upon the subject the king sent them about.{n} In voce sibulla. {o} Phocica, sive, l. 10. p. 631. {p} Var. Hist. l. 12. c. 35. {q} Misn. Middot, c. 1. sect. 3. 2 Kings 22:15Ver. 15. And she said unto them,.... The king's messengers:thus saith the Lord God of Israel; being immediately inspired by him, she spake in his name, as prophets did:tell the man that sent you to me; which may seem somewhat rude and unmannerly to say of a king; but when it is considered she spake not of herself, but representing the King of kings and Lord of lords, it will be seen and judged of in another light. 2 Kings 22:16Ver. 16. Thus saith the Lord, behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of it,.... Destruction to the place, and captivity to the inhabitants of it:even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read; particularly what is contained in Le 26:14, even all the curses in it, as in 2Ch 34:24. 2 Kings 22:17Ver. 17. Because they have forsaken me,.... My worship, as the Targum; his word and ordinances:and have burnt incense unto other gods; to Baal, to the host of heaven, and other Heathen deities:that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands: their idols of wood, stone, gold, and silver, which their hands had made, to worship; than which nothing was more provoking to God:therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched; the decree for the destruction of Jerusalem was gone forth, and not to be called back; the execution of it could not be stopped or hindered by cries, prayers, entreaties, or otherwise; this wrath of God was an emblem of the unquenchable fire of hell, Mt 3:12. 2 Kings 22:18Ver. 18. But to the king of Judah, which sent you to inquire of the Lord,.... That is, with respect to him, or what may concern him:thus shall ye say unto him; carry back this message to him as from the Lord he desired to inquire of:thus saith the Lord God of Israel, as touching the words which thou hast heard: read out of the law, concerning the destruction of the land, and its inhabitants therein threatened. 2 Kings 22:19Ver. 19. Because thine heart was tender,.... Soft like wax, and susceptible of impressions; or was "moved", or "trembled", as the Targum; for God has respect to such as are of contrite hearts, and tremble at his word, Isa 66:2,and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord; external humiliation, such as in Ahab, was regarded by the Lord, much more internal and cordial humiliation is regarded by him, see 1Ki 21:29,when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse; as in Le 26:1and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; as expressive of the inward contrition, sorrow, and grief of his heart:I also have heard thee, saith the Lord: his cries and prayers. 2 Kings 22:20Ver. 20. Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers,.... To his godly ancestors, to share with them in eternal life and happiness; otherwise it could be no peculiar favour to die in common, as his fathers did, and be buried in their sepulchres:and thou shall be gathered into thy grave in peace; in a time of public peace and tranquillity; for though he was slain in battle with the king of Egypt, yet it was what he was personally concerned in, and it was not a public war between the two kingdoms, and his body was carried off by his servants, and was peaceably interred in the sepulchre of his ancestors, 2Ki 23:29, as well as he died in spiritual peace, and entered into eternal peace, which is the end of the perfect and upright man, as he was, Ps 37:37 but this chiefly regards his not living to be distressed with the calamities of his nation and people, as follows:and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place: he being removed first, though it came upon it in the days of his sons:and they brought the king word again; of what Huldah the prophetess had said unto them.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.