Hephzi bah
“My delight is in her”
Summary
Hephzi-bah ("my delight is in her") was the wife of King Hezekiah and mother of Manasseh; Isaiah also uses it as a prophetic name for restored Jerusalem.
☩Queen of Judah
Hephzi-bah was the wife of the godly King Hezekiah and mother of Manasseh, who became king at age twelve and reigned fifty-five years. Despite her lovely name ("my delight is in her") and her husband's piety, Manasseh became the most wicked king of Judah, introducing unprecedented idolatry and violence that led ultimately to the nation's exile.
☩Prophetic Name for Jerusalem
Isaiah prophesies that Jerusalem, once "Desolate" and "Forsaken," will be renamed "Hephzi-bah" and "Beulah" (married), signifying God's renewed delight in her and His covenant faithfulness. This restoration imagery points to the Messiah's kingdom when Jerusalem will be a crown of glory in God's hand. The marriage theme in Isaiah may have been suggested by Hezekiah's late marriage to Hephzi-bah after his healing.
Related Verses1 mention
Isaiah· 1 verse
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Hephzi-bah," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IV (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.George Morrish, "Hephzibah," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Hephzibah," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Hephzibah," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).