Eliakim, son of Hilkiah
Parent(s)

Eliakim (Hebrew: אֶלְיָקִים, Greek: Ελιακιμ, Latin: Eliacim) was the son of Hilkiah. He succeeded Shebna to become royal steward or prime minister for King Hezekiah of Judah, according to the Hebrew Bible.[1] In the biblical account he is driven "like a peg" or "like a nail" into a firm place,[2] in wording suggesting either a tent peg or a nail on which utensils might be hung.[3]

References in the Hebrew Bible

Archaeology

In 2019, archaeologist Yosef Garfinkel claimed to have discovered a reference to Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, in two bullae unearthed at Tel Lachish. He described the seal legends as reading "Eliakim, (son of) Yehozarah".[4]

Found in 1974, an unprovenanced 8th century B. C. bulla, allegedly coming from the Hebron district, was acquired on the antiquities market by the Israel Museum for its Hebrew seals section, and its legend reads "(Belonging to) Yehozarah, son of Hilqi[ya]hu, servant of Hizqiyahu". Garfinkel suggests that the biblical reference of Eliakim as "son" of Hilkiah may be more precisely understood in the sense of descendance, as sometimes happens in other biblical passages.[4]

References

  1. ^  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore; et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Eliakim". The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
  2. ^ Isaiah 22:23
  3. ^ Barnes, A., Barnes' Notes on Isaiah 22, accessed 27 August 2023
  4. ^ a b Garfinkel, Yosef; Klingbeil, Martin; Hasel, Michael G.; Petruk, Néstor H. (May 2019). "Four Judean Bullae from the 2014 Season at Tel Lachish". Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. 381 (6): 41–56. doi:10.1086/703122. ISSN 0003-097X.


Categories