Hilkiah Summary
STEPBible TIPNR
Hilkiah, the high priest during King Josiah's reign, discovered the Book of the Law in the temple, sparking a religious reform.
the high priest of King Josiah's reign (2KI 22:4, 2CH 34:9)
Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem › Arphaxad › Cainan › Salah › Eber › Peleg › Reu › Serug › Nahor › Terah › Abraham › Isaac › Jacob › Levi › Kohath › Amram › Aaron › Eleazar › Phinehas › Abishua › Bukki › Uzzi › Zerahiah › Meraioth › Amariah › Ahitub › Zadok › Ahimaaz › Azariah › Johanan › Azariah › Amariah › Ahitub › Zadok › Shallum › Hilkiah
Names
-
en
Hilkiah
God is my portion
-
en
Hilkiah
· Also called · H2518 none · 2KI 22:4 y-h-v-h is [my] portion
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he
חִלְקִיָּהוּ
hiləqiyahu · H2518 · 2KI 22:4 y-h-v-h is [my] portion
- he חִלְקִיָּהוּ · H2518H
- el Χελκιαν Xelkian · none · 2KI 22:4
- bg Хелкия
Mentioned in (22)
SDA Books
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Conditional birth estimate · c. 1193 BC – 915 BC
Conditional birth bounds under generation assumptions; not attested parental ages, biological limits or a lifespan.
Below are relatives with a selected birth year, the generations separating them, and the interval allowed by each anchor. Each relative’s page shows available dates and sources. The overall estimate uses the intersection of the allowed intervals.
| Relative / anchor year | Generations | Conditional interval |
|---|---|---|
| Aaron · 1573 BC Ancestor |
19 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1193 BC – 718 BC |
| Amram · 1688 BC Ancestor |
20 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1288 BC – 788 BC |
| Kohath · 1705 BC Ancestor |
21 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1285 BC – 760 BC |
| Levi · 1748 BC Ancestor |
21 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1328 BC – 803 BC |
| Jacob · 1835 BC Ancestor |
22 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1395 BC – 845 BC |
| Isaac · 1895 BC Ancestor |
23 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1435 BC – 860 BC |
| Rebekah · 1876 BC Ancestor |
23 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1416 BC – 841 BC |
| Pharez · 1722 BC Ancestor |
23 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1262 BC – 687 BC |
| Abraham · 1995 BC Ancestor |
24 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1515 BC – 915 BC |
| Sarah · 1985 BC Ancestor |
24 20–45 years per generation |
c. 1505 BC – 905 BC |
| Terah · 2125 BC Ancestor |
25 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1500 BC – AD 1126 |
| Nahor · 2156 BC Ancestor |
26 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1506 BC – AD 1225 |
| Haran · 2056 BC Ancestor |
26 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1406 BC – AD 1325 |
| Serug · 2186 BC Ancestor |
27 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1511 BC – AD 1325 |
| Reu · 2218 BC Ancestor |
28 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1518 BC – AD 1423 |
| Peleg · 2248 BC Ancestor |
29 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1523 BC – AD 1523 |
| Eber · 2282 BC Ancestor |
30 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1532 BC – AD 1619 |
| Salah · 2312 BC Ancestor |
31 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1537 BC – AD 1719 |
| Arphaxad · 2347 BC Ancestor |
33 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1522 BC – AD 1944 |
| Shem · 2447 BC Ancestor |
34 25–130 years per generation |
c. 1597 BC – AD 1974 |
| Noah · 2948 BC Ancestor |
35 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2073 BC – AD 1603 |
| Lamech · 3130 BC Ancestor |
36 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2230 BC – AD 1551 |
| Methuselah · 3317 BC Ancestor |
37 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2392 BC – AD 1494 |
| Enoch · 3382 BC Ancestor |
38 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2432 BC – AD 1559 |
| Jared · 3544 BC Ancestor |
39 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2569 BC – AD 1527 |
| Mahalaleel · 3609 BC Ancestor |
40 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2609 BC – AD 1592 |
| Cainan · 3679 BC Ancestor |
41 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2654 BC – AD 1652 |
| Cain · 4004 BC Ancestor |
41 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2979 BC – AD 1327 |
| Enos · 3769 BC Ancestor |
42 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2719 BC – AD 1692 |
| Adam · 4004 BC Ancestor |
42 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2954 BC – AD 1457 |
| Eve · 4005 BC Ancestor |
42 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2955 BC – AD 1456 |
| Seth · 3874 BC Ancestor |
43 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2799 BC – AD 1717 |
Belonged to (1)
Ancestors (1)
Hilkiah Article
STEPBible TIPNR
Hilkiah was the high priest during the reign of King Josiah of Judah (2Kings 22-23, 2Chronicles 34-35). He is most notable for his discovery of the Book of the Law in the temple, which led to a significant religious reform and renewal in Judah.
In the 18th year of Josiah's reign, Hilkiah was involved in the repair and restoration of the temple. During this process, he found the Book of the Law, which had been lost or neglected for some time (2Ki.22.8, 2 Chronicles 2Ki 34:14). Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan the scribe, who then brought it to King Josiah.
Upon hearing the words of the Law, Josiah was deeply troubled and sought to inquire of the Lord. Hilkiah, along with others, was sent to consult with the prophetess Huldah, who confirmed the authenticity of the book and prophesied about the judgment that would come upon Judah for their disobedience (2Ki.22.12-20, 2 Chronicles 2Ki 34:20-28).
Following this, Josiah initiated a comprehensive religious reform, removing idolatry, destroying pagan shrines, and restoring proper worship according to the Law. Hilkiah played a key role in this process, as he was entrusted with the task of cleansing the temple and overseeing the observance of the Passover (2Ki.23.4-24, 2 Chronicles 2Ki 35:1-19).
Hilkiah is also mentioned in the genealogies of the Levites and priests (1Ch.6.13, 9:11).
Hilkiah 6 Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
The high priest in the reign of Josiah (1 Chr. 6:13; Ezra 7:1). To him and his deputy (2 Kings 23:5), along with the ordinary priests and the Levites who had charge of the gates, was entrusted the purification of the temple in Jerusalem. While this was in progress, he discovered in some hidden corner of the building a book called the “book of the law” (2 Kings 22:8) and the “book of the covenant” (23:2). Some have supposed that this “book” was nothing else than the original autograph copy of the Pentateuch written by Moses (Deut. 31:9-26). This remarkable discovery occurred in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign (B.C. 624), a discovery which permanently affected the whole subsequent history of Israel.
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Hilkiah_2) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Hilkiah@2Ki.22.4-Jer) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, hilkiah_1524)