SHAPHAN
“damán”, “rock badger”.
Scribe and secretary of King Josiah. The high priest Hilkiah rediscovered the book of the Law and had it delivered to Shaphan, who read it first for himself, and then read it to the king.
He sent Shaphan, along with other Israelites, to consult the prophetess Huldah about the curses recorded in the book (2 Kings 22:8-14).
Shaphan was the father of Ahikam (Jer. 26:24; 39:14), Elasa (Jer. 29:3), Gemariah (Jer. 36:10), Jaazaniah (Ez. 8:11) and grandfather of Gedaliah (2 Kings 25:22).