Illustration created for this project.
Hilkiah
The high priest who found the Book of the Law in the Temple in Josiah's reign.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 3
Archaeology — physical evidence · 1
Scholarly — supported scholarly belief · 2
Origin & birthplace
Family & lineage
ArchaeologyA Hebrew clay bulla reading "Belonging to Hanan son of Hilkiah the priest" (Ḥanan ben Ḥilqiyāhû ha-kōhēn) names a priestly Hilkiah, and some have linked it to the priestly house of the biblical high priest. Honesty requires noting the bulla is unprovenanced (surfaced on the antiquities market) and cannot be securely identified with the Hilkiah of Josiah's reform.
Bulla reading lḥnn bn ḥlqyhw hkhn ("Belonging to Hanan son of Hilkiah the priest"), published by Robert Deutsch in his corpus of West Semitic/Hebrew seal impressions (Archaeological Center Publications, Tel Aviv); unprovenanced, surfaced on the antiquities market and cannot be securely tied to the Hilkiah of Josiah's reform.
Tribe & people
BibleOf the tribe of Levi.
2 Kings 22:8
Name & titles
ScholarlyThe Hebrew name Ḥilqiyyāhû is a theophoric compound meaning "Yahweh is my portion" (from ḥēleq, "portion/share"), a name-type well suited to a priestly family whose inheritance was the LORD rather than land.
Hebrew onomastics; ḥēleq + the Yahwistic element -yāhû.
ScholarlyThe name Hilkiah (Ḥlqyhw) is independently attested in late-monarchic Judahite Hebrew epigraphy, including the Arad ostraca, confirming it was a genuine, current personal name in Judah in exactly the period the biblical high priest is placed, though none of these can be identified with him.
Arad ostraca and Iron Age II Judahite seals/bullae.
Where in scripture
2 KingsFamily
In their own words — 2 recorded sayings
“Then Hilkiah, the chief priest, said to Shaphan the scribe, I have made discovery of the book of the law in the house of the Lord. So Hilkiah gave it to Shaphan;” — 2 Kings 22:8
“Then Hilkiah said to Shaphan the scribe, I have made discovery of the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.” — 2 Chronicles 34:15
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
Places in their life
Photo: Godot13 — CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)