Ahikam

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 ; Jeremiah 40:5-16 ; 43:6 ). On one occasion he protected Jeremiah against the fury of Jehoiakim ( Jeremiah 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.

a brother who raises up or avenges

(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).

AHIKAM

a-hi'-kam ('achiqam, "my brother has risen up"):

A prominent man of the time of King Josiah and the following decades (2 Kings 22:12,14; 25:22; 2 Chronicles 34:20; Jeremiah 26:24; 39:14; 40:5; 41:1; 43:6). He was the son of Shaphan, who very likely is to be identified with Shaphan the scribe, who was at that time so prominent. Ahikam was the father of Gedaliah, whom, on the capture of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar made governor of the land. Ahikam was a member of the deputation sent by Josiah to the prophetess Huldah to consult her concerning the contents of the Book of the Law which had been found. Under Jehoiakim he had sufficient influence to protect Jeremiah from being put to death. On the capture of Jerusalem Nebuchadnezzar committed Jeremiah into the care of Gedaliah. It is clear that both Shaphan and his son, like Jeremiah, belonged to the party which held that the men of Judah were under obligation to keep the oath which they had sworn to the tang of Babylon.

Willis J. Beecher