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Prophecy

Huldah: Josiah gathered in peace before the disaster (2 Kings 22)

The prophetess Huldah, who announced to Josiah that he would be gathered in peace: artist’s impression, engraving attributed to Jacob Matham after Goltzius, 1588.
Artist’s impression The prophetess Huldah, who announced to Josiah that he would be gathered in peace: artist’s impression, engraving attributed to Jacob Matham after Goltzius, 1588. — Jacob Matham (attributed), after Hendrick Goltzius — Rijksmuseum, Wikimedia Commons · CC0

◐ Written shortly before or at the time: it cannot be decided

Written 622 BC according to tradition; 622–609 BC according to historians. Event: 609 BC.

See the full entry: sources, objections, answers

In short

The announcement. The prophetess Huldah, in the second book of Kings, in 622 BC, announces to King Josiah that disaster will strike Jerusalem, but that he will be “gathered in peace” without seeing it.

What happened. Josiah dies in 609 BC, before the destruction of Jerusalem in 586, which he therefore does not see. But his death is violent: he is killed at Megiddo by Pharaoh Necho.

What is still debated. “gathered in peace” fits poorly with a violent death, and the readings that rescue the prophecy were found after the fact.

What would be striking if the text came first

The announcement is only half right, and that is what is intriguing: an author writing after 609 would not have invented a peaceful death. This apparent miss argues for an oracle spoken before the events, even if its exact date remains debated.

Main objection (in French for now)

« Tu seras recueilli en paix » est démenti par la mort violente de Josias à Megiddo (2 R 23:29) : selon la lecture la plus naturelle, la prophétie a échoué.

The text (World English Bible)

She said to them, “The LORD the God of Israel says, ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, “The LORD says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.’” But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him, “The LORD the God of Israel says, ‘Concerning the words which you have heard, because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard w…

2 Kgs 22:15-20

Sources