15.OLD TESTAMENT PROPHESYING WOMEN LIKE HULDA
The n ebiy’aah in Isa. 8:3 seemingly refers to Mrs. Isaiah, alias the wife of the Prophet (thus Calvin & Alexander). In II Kgs. 22:12-16f, the prophesying lady Huldah, alias Mrs. Shallum (haanebiy’aah ‘esheth Shallum) — not in the sanctuary but in her own dwelling — told her visitors HiIkiah and his party to go and “tell the men [from Josiah] who sent you to me” what the Lord had told her to get conveyed to Josiah.
Huldah did not herself go and prophesy to Josiah. Still less did she go and prophesy to the whole congregation in public. She prophesied privately in her home, and then told hier listeners to go and repeat to the king what they had heard her say. Note too that Deborah, the Isa. 8.3 nebiy’aah, and Huldah — are always explicitly or implicitly named Mrs. Lapidoth, Mrs. Isaiah, and Mrs. Shallum respectively. Note further that their husbands are never referred to as “Mr. Deborah” and “Mr. Huldah” etc. Note too that Mrs. D. Lapidoth and Mrs. Isaiah and Mrs. H. Shallum never prophesied in the sanctuary, nor even in public. And note finally that none of these ladies is ever said to have been ordained and installed in the office of “Prophet” (nor even in the office of “Elder”).
