Original Word: שָׁפָן
Part of Speech: noun masculine; proper name, masculine
Transliteration: shaphan
Pronunciation: shah-fahn'
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-fawn')
KJV: coney
Word Origin: [from H8226 (שָׂפַן - Rock hyrax)]

1. a species of rock-rabbit (from its hiding), i.e. probably the hyrax

coney; a species of rock-rabbit

From saphan; a species of rock-rabbit (from its hiding), i.e. Probably the hyrax -- coney.

see HEBREW saphan

שָׁפָן noun masculine^{Leviticus 11:5} rock-badger, hyrax syriacus, AV RV coney; — absolute ׳שׁ Deuteronomy 14:7 = Leviticus 11:5 (P; unclean animal); living in rocks, plural שְׁפַנִּים Psalm 104:18; Proverbs 30:26. — See Rob^{BR iii. 66, 387} Tr^{NHB 75; FFP 1, and Plural 1} Post^{Hast. DB CONEY} McLean-Shipley^{Ency. Bib. ID}.

II. שָׁפָן

proper name, masculine Saf(f)an:

1 secretary (הַסִּפֵר) under Josiah 2 Kings 22:3,8 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 22:9,10 (twice in verse); 2 Kings 22:12,14; 2Chronicles 34:8,15 (twice in verse); 2Chronicles 34:16,18 (twice in verse); 2Chronicles 34:20.

2 father of אֲחִיקָם, contemporary of 1 (improbable = 1): 2 Kings 22:12; 2 Kings 25:22; Jeremiah 26:24; Jeremiah 39:14; Jeremiah 40:5,9,11; Jeremiah 41:2; Jeremiah 43:6; 2Chronicles 34:20.

3 father of אֶלְעָשָׂה Jeremiah 29:3, perhaps = 2

4 father of גְּמַרְיָ֫הוּ Jeremiah 36:10 (called הַסִּפֵר), Jeremiah 36:11; Jeremiah 36:12, perhaps = 1

5 father of יַאֲזַנְיָ֫הוּ Ezekiel 8:11, possibly = 1

שׁוֺפָן see עֲטָרוֺת above

Overview

Shaphan is best known as the royal scribe who served King Josiah of Judah and who first read the rediscovered Book of the Law before the king. Thirty-four Old Testament references trace his own service and that of his descendants during the final turbulent decades of the kingdom of Judah. Together they model courageous loyalty to the word of God, protection of God’s prophets, and steadfast public service in days of political upheaval.

Historical Setting

Shaphan, the son of Azaliah and grandson of Meshullam, occupied the post of court secretary (scribe) in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, roughly 622 B.C. His work unfolded in the shadow of Assyria’s decline, Egypt’s resurgence, and Babylon’s rise—an era demanding clear commitment to covenant truth.

Shaphan in the Court of King Josiah

Hilkiah the high priest discovered “the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord” (2 Kings 22:8). Hilkiah handed the scroll to Shaphan, who “read it” and then carried it to Josiah. “Shaphan the scribe said to the king, ‘Hilkiah the priest has given me a book,’ and Shaphan read it in the presence of the king” (2 Kings 22:10). Shaphan therefore became the first layman known to have read the Law aloud since the time of Hezekiah’s passover (2 Chronicles 30) and perhaps since the days of Samuel (1 Samuel 10:25).

Huldah’s Oracle and Josiah’s Reform

At Josiah’s command, Shaphan, Hilkiah, and other officials consulted the prophetess Huldah (2 Kings 22:12-14). Her message of imminent judgment and conditional mercy galvanized Josiah’s sweeping reforms (2 Kings 23; 2 Chronicles 34). Shaphan’s accurate transmission of both the Law and Huldah’s word underscores the priceless ministry of a faithful scribe.

A Family of Scribes and Statesmen

Scripture presents Shaphan’s household as a multi-generational bulwark of righteousness:

• Ahikam son of Shaphan protected Jeremiah when the prophet was threatened with death: “Nevertheless, the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death” (Jeremiah 26:24).
• Gemariah son of Shaphan served in Jehoiakim’s palace. When Baruch read Jeremiah’s scroll in Gemariah’s chamber, his son Micaiah alerted officials (Jeremiah 36:10-12), demonstrating reverence for prophetic revelation despite political risk.
• Elasah son of Shaphan, with Gemariah son of Hilkiah, carried Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:3), becoming a trusted envoy who delivered God’s counsel regarding seventy years of captivity.
• Gedaliah son of Ahikam grandson of Shaphan was appointed governor of the remnant after Jerusalem fell (Jeremiah 40:5; 2 Kings 25:22). His short-lived administration embodied Jeremiah’s call to submit to Babylon for the nation’s good.
• Jaazaniah son of Shaphan appears in Ezekiel’s temple vision standing among idolaters (Ezekiel 8:11). Whether this is the same family is debated, yet the text warns that even lineages noted for faithfulness can stray if vigilance lapses.

Key Text Clusters

1. Discovery of the Law: 2 Kings 22:3-14; 2 Chronicles 34:8-20.
2. Protection of Jeremiah: Jeremiah 26:24; Jeremiah 39:14; Jeremiah 40:5.
3. Transmission of Prophetic Scrolls: Jeremiah 29:3; Jeremiah 36:10-25.
4. Governorship of Gedaliah: Jeremiah 40–41; 2 Kings 25:22-26.
5. Vision of Ezekiel: Ezekiel 8:11.

Theological Significance

1. Primacy of Scripture: Shaphan’s public reading of the Law ignited covenant renewal, illustrating that authentic reform begins with the proclaimed Word (compare Nehemiah 8).
2. Scribal Faithfulness: As court secretary, Shaphan bridged priest, prophet, and king. His integrity authenticated divine revelation in the political realm (cf. Proverbs 16:12).
3. Generational Influence: The line of Shaphan photographs both blessing and peril. Ahikam, Gemariah, and Gedaliah display godly continuity; Jaazaniah warns against complacency.
4. Providence in Exile: Through Elasah and Gedaliah the family served God’s purposes beyond Judah’s fall, showing that divine mission persists even in national judgment.

Patterns of Faithfulness in Public Office

Shaphan models how believers may exert quiet yet decisive influence:

• Diligent workmanship: He carried out routine duties that the Lord transformed into defining moments.
• Courageous transparency: He read the Law to Josiah unedited, risking royal displeasure to preserve truth.
• Support of prophetic voice: His household shielded Jeremiah and disseminated Jeremiah’s writings, aligning civil service with prophetic ministry.

Applications for the Church Today

• Valuing Scripture: Revival in any age is inseparable from a fresh hearing of God’s Word.
• Raising God-fearing families: Spiritual heritage is nurtured through faithful witness in ordinary vocations.
• Engaging the public square: Like Shaphan, believers in governmental or administrative roles can serve as conduits of biblical truth, advancing righteousness amid cultural decline.

Shaphan’s account therefore encourages every reader to steward positions of influence—however mundane—with unwavering fidelity to the Scriptures that can still reform hearts, homes, and nations.

הַשָּׁפָ֗ן הַשָּׁפָ֜ן השפן וְשָׁפָ֣ן ושפן לַֽשְׁפַנִּֽים׃ לשפנים׃ פן פנים שְׁ֭פַנִּים שָׁ֠פָן שָׁפָ֑ן שָׁפָ֔ן שָׁפָ֖ן שָׁפָ֛ן שָׁפָ֜ן שָׁפָ֡ן שָׁפָ֣ן שָׁפָ֤ן שָׁפָ֨ן שָׁפָֽן׃ שָׁפָן֙ שפן שפן׃ fan fannim haš·šā·p̄ān hashshaFan haššāp̄ān laš·p̄an·nîm LashfanNim lašp̄annîm p̄ān p̄an·nîm p̄annîm šā·p̄ān šāp̄ān shaFan veshaFan wə·šā·p̄ān wəšāp̄ānInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts