Shaphan [Shā'phan] - prudent, shy, rock badger or wild rat. A scribe, son of Azaliah, father of Gemariah. It was this Shaphan who laid before King Josiah the law book discovered by Hilkiah in the temple (2 Kings 22:3-14; 2 Chron. 34:8-20; Jer. 36:10-12) and who was the chief lay leader in the outworking of Josiah's reforms. For two generations his family played a worthy part as servants of Jehovah and as friends of Jeremiah. Father of Ahikam , a chief officer in the court of Josiah (2 Kings 22:12; 25:22; 2 Chron. 34:20; Jer. 26:24; 39:14; 40:5; 41:2; 43:6). A father of Elasah by whom Jeremiah the prophet sent a letter to the exiles in Babylon (Jer. 29:3). The father of Jaaganiah whom Ezekiel saw as enticing people to idolatry and whom he denounced as a ringleader (Ezek. 8:11).