Ahikam Son of Shaphan
Ahikam, Shaphan’s son, is named in royal commands and in Jeremiah’s account of Jeremiah’s protection.
Ahikam Son of Shaphan is the biblical person identified as Shaphan’s son and named among those whom the king commanded in 2 Kings 22:12. The same command list names him in 2 Chronicles 34:20.
His name occurs in at least 19 verses across 3 books: 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and Jeremiah. It is recorded in 2 distinct name forms. In Jeremiah, the passage says Ahikam’s hand was with Jeremiah, so Jeremiah was not handed over to the people to be put to death (Jeremiah 26:24).
The Jeremiah passages also identify Gedaliah as Ahikam’s son (Jeremiah 39:14). Gedaliah is described as appointed over the land (Jeremiah 40:7), and Jeremiah went to him and dwelt among the people (Jeremiah 40:6). Another passage identifies Gedaliah as “son of Ahikam son of Shaphan” and reports that Ishmael struck him down and killed him (Jeremiah 41:2).
Key verses
Across Scripture
2 Kings · 2 Chronicles · Jeremiah