Original Word: תִּקְוָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Tiqvah
Pronunciation: tik-VAH
Phonetic Spelling: (tik-vaw')
KJV: Tikvah
NASB: Tikvah
Word Origin: [the same as H8615 (תִּקוָה - Hope)]

1. Tikvah, the name of two Israelites

Tikvah

The same as tiqvah; Tikvah, the name of two Israelites -- Tikvah.

see HEBREW tiqvah

Word Origin
from qavah
Definition
"hope," two Isr.
NASB Translation
Tikvah (2).

Name and Meaning

Tikvah (תִּקְוָה) conveys “hope” or “expectation,” an idea that ultimately rests in the faithfulness of the Lord. Though the word functions as a proper name, its root subtly infuses each appearance with the theme of confident waiting on God.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. 2 Kings 22:14 – Ancestor of Shallum, the husband of the prophetess Huldah, during Josiah’s reform.
2. Ezra 10:15 – Father of Jahzeiah, named in the account of the post-exilic community’s response to intermarriage.

Tikvah in the Reforms under King Josiah (2 Kings 22:8–20)

When the rediscovered Book of the Law was read before the king, Josiah sent a delegation “to inquire of the LORD” (2 Kings 22:13). The group sought out Huldah, “the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah” (22:14). Tikvah himself remains offstage, yet his household becomes the channel through which God’s prophetic word clarifies covenant obligation, ignites nationwide repentance, and averts imminent judgment for a generation. The narrative locates Tikvah’s family within Jerusalem’s Second Quarter, emphasizing accessibility to the king and centrality to temple life. Tikvah’s name—“hope”—echoes the mercy pronounced by Huldah: disaster delayed because Josiah humbled himself (22:19–20). Thus, Tikvah’s lineage is providentially linked to hope realized through repentance and reform.

Tikvah in the Post-Exilic Restoration (Ezra 10:15)

Decades after the exile, another descendant bears the same paternal identifier: “Jahzeiah son of Tikvah.” During Ezra’s call to separate from unlawful foreign marriages, Jahzeiah and Jonathan son of Asahel “opposed this” (Ezra 10:15). Their objection, while not detailed, tests the community’s resolve to honor the Mosaic covenant. Although their stance is rejected, the text preserves their names, underscoring that genuine covenant renewal must engage dissent honestly. Tikvah’s name again surfaces at a moment when the remnant must choose between compromised coexistence and hopeful obedience.

Theological Reflections: Hope in God’s Covenantal Faithfulness

1. Generational Witness – Tikvah’s household surfaces in two reform movements roughly three centuries apart, reminding readers that God weaves individual families into His redemptive timeline.
2. Prophetic Consultation – Both contexts turn on hearing and obeying the word of the Lord, the ultimate ground of hope (Psalm 119:114).
3. Hope and Holiness – Covenant renewal—whether through Josiah’s tearing of garments or Ezra’s communal repentance—demonstrates that true hope is inseparable from holiness (Hebrews 12:14).

Lessons for Ministry Today

• Encourage households to cultivate environments where Scripture is revered; a single family can become a conduit of revival.
• Recognize that hope thrives when God’s word is consulted before major decisions, whether national or personal.
• Address dissent within the covenant community transparently; faithful confrontation can clarify and strengthen collective obedience.
• Teach that authentic hope looks forward by returning to God’s revealed standards, not by accommodating cultural pressures.

Related Biblical Themes

Hope: Psalm 39:7; Lamentations 3:21–24

Covenant Renewal: 2 Chronicles 34; Nehemiah 9

Family Legacy: Deuteronomy 6:6–9; 2 Timothy 1:5

תִּקְוָ֖ה תִּקְוָ֗ה תקוה tikVah tiq·wāh tiqwāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts