Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 34:20
and commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the servant of the king:
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The king issues a directive to a five-member delegation immediately after tearing his garments upon hearing the discovered words of the Law.
The words — וַ/יְצַ֣ו (va/y.Tzav) translates literally as "and he commanded" [H6680], while הַ/מֶּ֡לֶךְ (ha./Me.lekh) denotes "the king" [H4428]. These terms anchor the verse in royal authority and immediate action.
The thread — This commissioning pattern repeats in 2 Kings 22:12, where the same delegation receives the initial inquiry order, and resurfaces in 2 Kings 25:22 and Jeremiah 26:22 as the Ahikam-Shaphan line maintains administrative prominence.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition of how biblical narratives track institutional continuity through named officials, requiring the reader to observe how royal commissions structure historical response to covenant failure.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king’s, saying,
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 22:12 and commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the servant of the king:
- 2 Kings 25:22 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, over the people he had left behind in the land of Judah.
- Jeremiah 26:22 Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor along with some other men.
- Jeremiah 26:24 Nevertheless, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
- Jeremiah 40:6 So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.
- Jeremiah 40:9 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore an oath to them and their men, assuring them, “Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.
- Jeremiah 40:14 and said to him, “Are you aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.