Matthew Poole and continuators on 2 Kings 22:14

14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah went unto Huldah the prophetess , the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe, (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the colledge ) and they communed with her.

For we read of Women Prophetesses, both in the Old and New Testament, as Miriam, Exod. 15. 20. Deborah, Iudg. 4. 4. Hamah, 1 Sam. 2. Elizabeth, and the Blessed Virgin, Luk. 1. and Philip's Daughters, Act. 21. 9. Quest. But why did he send to this Woman, and not rather to Zephaniah, or Ieremiah, who were Prophets in Iosiah's days? Ans. Either, First, Because the Kings earnest affection in this business required great haste; and she was in Ierusalem, which is therefore noted in the following part of the Verse, when Ieremiah might at this time be at Anathoth, or in some more remote part of the Kingdom; and the like may be said of Zephaniah, who also might not be a Prophet at this time, though he was afterward, in the days of Iosiah, which is all that is affirmed of him, Zeph. 1. 10. Or, 2. Because the King or his Courtiers had longer and greater experience of the eminency of her Prophetical Gifts, than of Ieremiah's, who began not to Prophecy till the thirteenth Year of Iosiah, Ier. 1. 2. and being well assured of her Fidelity in delivering the Mind and Counsel of God to those that enquired of her, they rightly concluded, that it was much more considerable what Message God sent, than by whom it was conveyed to them.

Where the Sons of the Prophets, or others, who devoted themselves to the study of God's Word, used to meet and discourse of the things of God, and receive the Instructions of their Teachers. Others both Ancient and Modern render it, in another or the second part, to wit, of the City, i. e. in the Suburbs, which also were Fortified and Walled about by Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32. 5.

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