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Person

Ahikam

Man living at the time of Divided Monarchy

Ahikam, son of Shaphan, was an official during the reigns of Josiah and Jehoiakim, and he protected Jeremiah from death.

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Ahikam was the son of Shaphan the scribe and an important official during the reigns of King Josiah and King Jehoiakim of Judah. He first appears in the biblical narrative when Josiah sends him, along with other officials, to consult the prophetess Huldah regarding the book of the Law discovered in the temple. (2Ki.22.12-14; 2Ch.34.20)

Later, during the reign of Jehoiakim, Ahikam uses his influence to protect the prophet Jeremiah from being put to death when Jeremiah's prophecies anger the officials and the people. (Jer.26.24).

After the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, the Babylonian captain of the guard appoints Gedaliah, Ahikam's son, as governor over the cities of Judah. (2Ki.25.22) Jeremiah is released from captivity and entrusted to Gedaliah's care. (Jer.39.14; 40.5-6)

Gedaliah establishes his headquarters at Mizpah and encourages the remaining people in Judah to serve the Babylonians. (Jer.40.7-12) However, Ishmael, a member of the royal family, murders Gedaliah and those with him, causing the people to flee to Egypt out of fear of Babylonian reprisal. (Jer.41.1-18) Ahikam's role in protecting Jeremiah and his son's appointment as governor highlight the family's importance during this turbulent period in Judah's history.

Family

Father
Shaphan
Siblings
ElasahGemariah
Children
Gedaliah

Connections

Part of: Last kings of Judah and the prophets of the exile

The family of Shaphan: protectors of Jeremiah

FamilyStated in the text

Shaphan the scribe, who read the law to Josiah, had a son Ahikam who protected Jeremiah from execution, and a grandson Gedaliah whom Babylon appointed governor of Judah. Gedaliah also received Jeremiah; his murder ended the remnant community.

ShaphanSon of AzaliahAhikamSon of ShaphanGedaliahA GovernorJeremiahA prophet
Where the text shows it: 2 Kgs 22:3 — Shaphan, son of AzaliahJer 26:24 — Ahikam son of Shaphan protects Jeremiah2 Kgs 25:22-25 — Gedaliah son of Ahikam governor and murderedJer 40:5-6 — Gedaliah and Jeremiah

Sources: 2 Kgs 22:3 · Jer 26:24 · 2 Kgs 25:22-25 · Jer 40:5-6

More background: search Wikipedia ↗

Bible dictionary

Ahikam Easton Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

Brother of support = helper, one of the five whom Josiah sent to consult the prophetess Huldah in connection with the discovery of the book of the law (2 Kings 22:12-14; 2 Chr. 34:20). He was the son of Shaphan, the royal secretary, and the father of Gedaliah, governor of Judea after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians (2 Kings 25:22; Jer. 40:5-16; 43:6). On one occasion he protected Jeremiah against the fury of Jehoiakim (Jer. 26:24). It was in the chamber of another son (Germariah) of Shaphan that Baruch read in the ears of all the people Jeremiah’s roll.

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Ahikam Smith Smith’s Bible Dictionary (1863)

(a brother who raises up), son of Shaphan the scribe, an influential officer at the court of Josiah, was one of the delegates sent by Hilkaih to consult Huldah. (2 Kings 22:12-14) In the reign of Jehoiakim he successfully used his influence to protect the prophet Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 26:24) He was the father of Gedaliah. [Gedaliah] (B.C. 641).

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Ahikam Hitchcock Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary (1869)

a brother who raises up or avenges

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Ahikam Hastings Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible (1898)

AHI'KAM (brother of the enemy), a son of Shaphan, and the father of Gedaliah, was an officer at the court of Josiah and Jehoiakim, and one of those whom Josiah sent to Huldah the prophetess to inquire of her concerning the book of the law which had been found in the temple. 2 Kgs 22:12. He afterward protected the prophet Jeremiah. Jer 26:24. See Jeremiah.

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Ahikam Schaff Schaff’s Dictionary of the Bible

AHI'KAM (brother of the enemy), a son of Shaphan, and the father of Gedaliah, was an officer at the court of Josiah and Jehoiakim, and one of those whom Josiah sent to Huldah the prophetess to inquire of her concerning the book of the law which had been found in the temple. 2 Kgs 22:12. He afterward protected the prophet Jeremiah. Jer 26:24. See Jeremiah.

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Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.

Where Ahikam appears

20 verses in 3 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H0296

2 Kings3
2 Chronicles1
Jeremiah16

Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.