Hilkiah (Father of Eliakim, steward under King Hezekiah)

Father of the Steward Eliakim

El reino divididoLeaderc. 700s BC

Hilkiah is known as the father of Eliakim, who served as steward (palace administrator) under King Hezekiah of Judah. He is mentioned in connection with the Assyrian crisis when Sennacherib threatened Jerusalem. Although little is known about Hilkiah personally, his son Eliakim played a crucial role in negotiations with the envoys of the Assyrian king.

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Eliakim is mentioned as the son of Hilkiah

Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, is described as the administrator over the king's house under King Hezekiah, indicating that Hilkiah belonged to a prominent family in Judah.

18They called for the king, and Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebnah the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder came out to them.
וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיֵּצֵ֧א אֲלֵהֶ֛ם אֶלְיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֖הוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַבָּ֑יִת וְשֶׁבְנָה֙ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְיוֹאָ֥ח בֶּן־אָסָ֖ף הַמַּזְכִּֽיר׃ ‬
26Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, along with Shebnah and Joah, said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall."
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־חִ֠לְקִיָּהוּ וְשֶׁבְנָ֨ה וְיוֹאָ֜ח אֶל־רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה דַּבֶּר־נָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲרָמִ֔ית כִּ֥י שֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וְאַל־תְּדַבֵּ֤ר עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ יְהוּדִ֔ית בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַחֹמָֽה׃ ‬

The Assyrian Crisis at Jerusalem

Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, was sent together with Shebna and Joah to meet Rabshakeh, the envoy of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, at the walls of Jerusalem.

18They called for the king, and Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebnah the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder came out to them.
וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיֵּצֵ֧א אֲלֵהֶ֛ם אֶלְיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֖הוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַבָּ֑יִת וְשֶׁבְנָה֙ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְיוֹאָ֥ח בֶּן־אָסָ֖ף הַמַּזְכִּֽיר׃ ‬
19The Rabshakeh said to them: "Tell Hezekiah: This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What is this confidence of yours?
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה אִמְרוּ־נָ֖א אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ הַגָּדוֹל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר מָ֧ה הַבִּטָּח֛וֹן הַזֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּטָֽחְתָּ׃ ‬
26Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, along with Shebnah and Joah, said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall."
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־חִ֠לְקִיָּהוּ וְשֶׁבְנָ֨ה וְיוֹאָ֜ח אֶל־רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה דַּבֶּר־נָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲרָמִ֔ית כִּ֥י שֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וְאַל־תְּדַבֵּ֤ר עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ יְהוּדִ֔ית בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַחֹמָֽה׃ ‬
37Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder went to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and reported to him what the Rabshakeh had said.
וַיָּבֹ֣א אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַ֠בַּיִת וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א הַסֹּפֵ֜ר וְיוֹאָ֨ח בֶּן־אָסָ֧ף הַמַּזְכִּ֛יר אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ קְרוּעֵ֣י בְגָדִ֑ים וַיַּגִּ֣דוּ ל֔וֹ דִּבְרֵ֖י רַב־שָׁקֵֽה׃ ‬

Messengers to the Prophet Isaiah

After Rabshakeh's threatening speech, King Hezekiah sent Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, and others to the prophet Isaiah to seek advice and intercession.

1When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.
וַיְהִ֗י כִּשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָ֑יו וַיִּתְכַּ֣ס בַּשָּׂ֔ק וַיָּבֹ֖א בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ ‬
2He sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the scribe, and the senior priests, all of them covered in sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.
וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח אֶת־אֶלְיָקִ֨ים אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַבַּ֜יִת וְשֶׁבְנָ֣א הַסֹּפֵ֗ר וְאֵת֙ זִקְנֵ֣י הַכֹּֽהֲנִ֔ים מִתְכַּסִּ֖ים בַּשַּׂקִּ֑ים אֶל־יְשַֽׁעְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא בֶּן־אָמֽוֹץ׃ ‬

Isaiah's parallel account about Eliakim

In the book of Isaiah, the same events are recounted where Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, plays a central role in negotiations with the Assyrians and in contact with the prophet Isaiah.

3Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator, went out to him, along with Shebna the secretary and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder.
וַיֵּצֵ֥א אֵלָ֛יו אֶלְיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֖הוּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַבָּ֑יִת וְשֶׁבְנָא֙ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְיוֹאָ֥ח בֶּן־אָסָ֖ף הַמַּזְכִּֽיר׃ ‬
11Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall."
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶלְיָקִים֩ וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א וְיוֹאָ֜ח אֶל־רַב שָׁקֵ֗ה דַּבֶּר־נָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲרָמִ֔ית כִּ֥י שֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וְאַל־תְּדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלֵ֙ינוּ֙ יְהוּדִ֔ית בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַחוֹמָֽה׃ ‬
22Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and reported to him the words of the Rabshakeh.
וַיָּבֹ֣א אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּ֣הוּ אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַ֠בַּיִת וְשֶׁבְנָ֨א הַסּוֹפֵ֜ר וְיוֹאָ֨ח בֶּן־אָסָ֧ף הַמַּזְכִּ֛יר אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ קְרוּעֵ֣י בְגָדִ֑ים וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ ל֔וֹ אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֥י רַב שָׁקֵֽה׃ ס ‬

Isaiah's prophecy concerning Eliakim

The prophet Isaiah delivered a prophecy that Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, would be appointed to Shebna's position as steward and become like a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

20On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah.
וְהָיָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וְקָרָ֣אתִי לְעַבְדִּ֔י לְאֶלְיָקִ֖ים בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּֽהוּ׃ ‬
21I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him. I will hand your authority over to him, and he will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
וְהִלְבַּשְׁתִּ֣יו כֻּתָּנְתֶּ֗ךָ וְאַבְנֵֽטְךָ֙ אֲחַזְּקֶ֔נּוּ וּמֶֽמְשֶׁלְתְּךָ֖ אֶתֵּ֣ן בְּיָד֑וֹ וְהָיָ֥ה לְאָ֛ב לְיוֹשֵׁ֥ב יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם וּלְבֵ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה׃ ‬
22I will place the key of the house of David on his shoulder; what he opens no one will shut, and what he shuts no one will open.
וְנָתַתִּ֛י מַפְתֵּ֥חַ בֵּית־דָּוִ֖ד עַל־שִׁכְמ֑וֹ וּפָתַח֙ וְאֵ֣ין סֹגֵ֔ר וְסָגַ֖ר וְאֵ֥ין פֹּתֵֽחַ׃ ‬
23I will drive him in like a peg in a firm place, and he will become a throne of honor for his father's house.
וּתְקַעְתִּ֥יו יָתֵ֖ד בְּמָק֣וֹם נֶאֱמָ֑ן וְהָיָ֛ה לְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד לְבֵ֥ית אָבִֽיו׃ ‬
24On him they will hang all the glory of his father's house—the offspring and the offshoots, every small vessel, from the bowls to all the jars.
וְתָל֨וּ עָלָ֜יו כֹּ֣ל ׀ כְּב֣וֹד בֵּית־אָבִ֗יו הַצֶּֽאֱצָאִים֙ וְהַצְּפִע֔וֹת כֹּ֖ל כְּלֵ֣י הַקָּטָ֑ן מִכְּלֵי֙ הָֽאַגָּנ֔וֹת וְעַ֖ד כָּל־כְּלֵ֥י הַנְּבָלִֽים׃ ‬

Eliakim sent to Isaiah according to the book of Isaiah

King Hezekiah sent Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, along with the chief priests to the prophet Isaiah to seek the Lord's word during the Assyrian siege.

1When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.
וַיְהִ֗י כִּשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ וַיִּקְרַ֖ע אֶת־בְּגָדָ֑יו וַיִּתְכַּ֣ס בַּשָּׂ֔ק וַיָּבֹ֖א בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ ‬
2He sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, all covered in sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.
וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח אֶת־אֶלְיָקִ֨ים אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הַבַּ֜יִת וְאֵ֣ת ׀ שֶׁבְנָ֣א הַסּוֹפֵ֗ר וְאֵת֙ זִקְנֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים מִתְכַּסִּ֖ים בַּשַּׂקִּ֑ים אֶל־יְשַֽׁעְיָ֥הוּ בֶן־אָמ֖וֹץ הַנָּבִֽיא׃ ‬

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