As I mentioned in another study, the Bible is a collection of books written by folks hundreds of miles apart and over a period of several centuries. The literature was written by males, from a male perspective and by folks whose traditions were very different from our own. Very few women get to say what gets into what we call the word of God. However, I did mention in an earlier study that five women, the daughters of Zelophehad, protested to Moses and the elders about an injustice done to their father, and the women got to change the Law in their favor, because their efforts were approved by God, himself. Nevertheless, as a rule, women didn’t have any input in what got to be called God’s word.
Late in the monarchy of the House of Judah, after Josiah, the son of David, had reigned 18 years in Jerusalem, he ordered repairs to be done to the House of God. While this was taking place, a priest by the name of Hilkiah found a book of the Law in the Temple, but no one knew, if it was authentic, because, if it were, its contents condemned the practices that were at that time taking place in Jerusalem. The book was taken to Josiah for him to read, and when he had done so, he tore his garments and commanded Hilkiah, the high priest, to enquire of the Lord for him and all Judah concerning its trustworthiness, because the book revealed that God’s wrath was kindled against the nation, because the traditions of their fathers were not at that time being faithfully kept, if the words were true (2Kings 22:3-4, 8-13).
Hilkiah, the priest, took a committee with him to inquire of the Lord from Huldah[1] the prophetess, the wife of Shullam (2Kings 22:14). Shullam was the keeper of the wardrobe, meaning the vestments of the priests or the royal robe-room, containing dresses of honor needed for presents (cp. 2Kings 5:5). Huldah told Hilkiah and those with him that the book was authentic, and the Lord intended to judge Jerusalem and the land of Judah and bring terrible things upon them. However, because King Josiah had torn his garments and wept over what he had read, the Lord wouldn’t do these things during his reign. Yet, they would be done afterward (2Kings 22:15-20).
The result was that King Josiah initiated reforms in Judah requiring everyone to obey the Law of Moses, including the book that was found in the Temple (Deuteronomy), and he restored the celebration of the Passover in such faithfulness that there wasn’t one like it from the time of the judges to that very day. Josiah also destroyed all the idols in Judah and got rid of the wizards and workers of familiar spirits (2Kings 23:22-24).
What’s the point of all this, in the context of this series of studies about the debasement of women in Christianity, due to doctrines favoring patriarchy and complementarianism? The point is that all these things occurred because of the words of a women. Josiah’s reforms, the safety of the nation during his reign, the national restoration of the Law of God—all these things occurred because a woman, Huldah the prophetess. What if she weren’t there, would none of these things have come to pass? Probably, things would have occurred just as we read them, except that God would have chosen a male prophet to inform Josiah and the other authorities at Jerusalem of his impending judgment. Nevertheless, that isn’t what occurred. God chose a woman to do what male prophets had been doing throughout the history of the twelve tribes.
While patriarchy may have been in place in the land of God’s people, and was universally the tradition of all nations at that time, God was not obligated to approve of patriarchy. The Lord is not obligated to approve of the tradition of men, simply because they believe it is correct. The facts are that the Lord acted in Israel and Judah calling out both men and women to do his work. Those women had equal authority to speak in his name as any male called out. Even kings had to obey the women or reap the consequences. God is God, and he gets to do whatever he wishes, despite men’s desires and traditions (cp. Isaiah 54:17), and God, unapologetically, chooses women as well as men, patriarchy notwithstanding.
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[1] I am grateful for the lecture given by Rabbi Prof. Dr. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi entitled: Ancient and Contemporary Perspectives on Women in the Bible for the account of Huldah, the prophetess (begin at about 39 min. into the lecture and continue for about 6 min. to about 45 min). I read the account several times in the past, but never in the perspective given here.
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