Original Word: אֲחִיקָם
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Achiyqam
Pronunciation: a-khee-KAHM
Phonetic Spelling: (akh-ee-kawm')
KJV: Ahikam
NASB: Ahikam
Word Origin: [from H251 (אָח - brother) and H6965 (קוּם - arose)]

1. brother of rising (i.e. high)
2. Achikam, an Israelite

Ahikam

From 'ach and quwm; brother of rising (i.e. High); Achikam, an Israelite -- Ahikam.

see HEBREW 'ach

see HEBREW quwm

Word Origin
from ach and qum
Definition
"my brother has arisen," an Isr.
NASB Translation
Ahikam (20).

אֲחִיקָם proper name, masculine (my brother has arisen) son of Shaphan, Josiah's time 2 Kings 22:12,14; 2Chronicles 34:20; protector of Jeremiah Jeremiah 26:24; father of Gedaliah 2 Kings 25:22; Jeremiah 39:14; Jeremiah 40:5,6,7,9,11,14,16; Jeremiah 41:1,2,6,10,16,18; Jeremiah 43:6.

Identity and Setting

Ahikam is introduced as a trusted official in the court of King Josiah. Living in the turbulent closing decades of the kingdom of Judah (late seventh–early sixth century BC), he stands at the crossroads between Josiah’s reform and the Babylonian exile.

Family Connections and Generational Influence

• Father: Shaphan the royal scribe, who read the rediscovered Book of the Law to Josiah (2 Kings 22:8–10).
• Brothers: Gemariah (Jeremiah 36:10) and Elasah (Jeremiah 29:3), both of whom also served the kingdom and the prophet Jeremiah.
• Son: Gedaliah, appointed governor over the Judean remnant by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:22).

The Shaphan family forms a rare multi-generational line of officials who consistently supported the prophetic word.

Service during Josiah’s Reformation

When Josiah sought confirmation of the newly found scroll, “Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess” (2 Kings 22:14; cf. 2 Chronicles 34:20). Ahikam’s inclusion in this select delegation signals the king’s confidence in his spiritual discernment and administrative reliability. The favorable oracle from Huldah spurred national repentance and a renewed covenant (2 Kings 23:1–3).

Defender of Jeremiah

Decades later, amid the rising threat of Babylon, Jeremiah’s temple sermon provoked calls for the prophet’s death. “Yet Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death” (Jeremiah 26:24). Ahikam’s intervention preserved Jeremiah’s life and thereby the ongoing prophetic witness to Judah. His courage illustrates how lay leaders can shield God’s servants when official and popular pressures converge against the truth.

Paternal Legacy and the Governorship of Gedaliah

After Jerusalem fell (586 BC), Nebuchadnezzar “appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, over the people he had left behind in the land of Judah” (2 Kings 25:22). Although Ahikam himself is not mentioned after this point, his influence is evident in Gedaliah’s conciliatory leadership, his oath to the scattered troops (Jeremiah 40:9), and his protection of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 40:5–6). Tragically, Ishmael’s assassination of Gedaliah (Jeremiah 41:1–2) shattered the fragile hope for peaceful life under Babylonian oversight, driving the remnant into fear-driven flight to Egypt (Jeremiah 43:6). Thus, the consequences of Ahikam’s righteous lineage became a decisive factor in Judah’s final collapse.

Impact on the Post-Exilic Remnant

The fall of Gedaliah, though it occurred after Ahikam’s death, underscores the pivotal role of Ahikam’s household in Judah’s survival narrative. Because the remnant rejected the counsel embodied by this family, they forfeited the opportunity to remain in the land, fulfilling Jeremiah’s warnings (Jeremiah 42–43). In Scripture’s economy, Ahikam’s memory stands as a benchmark against which subsequent decisions are measured.

Spiritual Themes and Theological Significance

1. Fidelity to revealed truth: Ahikam received and acted upon the Book of the Law; he later protected the living word spoken by Jeremiah.
2. Intercessory leadership: By using his position to influence kings and protect prophets, he models godly civic engagement.
3. Legacy: His faith shaped his son’s governance, illustrating how righteousness can bless future generations (cf. Proverbs 20:7).
4. Prophetic validation: Ahikam’s consistent alignment with prophetic voices attests to Scripture’s internal harmony from Josiah’s day to the exile.

Key Old Testament References (20 Occurrences)

2 Kings 22:12; 2 Kings 22:14; 2 Kings 25:22

2 Chronicles 34:20

Jeremiah 26:24; 39:14; 40:5–7, 9, 11, 14, 16; 41:1–2, 6, 10, 16, 18; 43:6

אֲחִיקָ֑ם אֲחִיקָ֔ם אֲחִיקָ֖ם אֲחִיקָ֣ם אֲחִיקָ֤ם אֲחִיקָ֥ם אֲחִיקָ֧ם אֲחִיקָֽם׃ אֲחִיקָם֙ אחיקם אחיקם׃ וַאֲחִיקָ֨ם ואחיקם ’ă·ḥî·qām ’ăḥîqām achiKam vaachiKam wa’ăḥîqām wa·’ă·ḥî·qāmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts