Shaphan is a proper masculine name appearing 30 times, nearly all in connection with King Josiah's religious reform and its aftermath. As 'the scribe' (hassofer), Shaphan is dispatched to the temple treasurer, receives the newly discovered Book of the Law from the priest Hilkiah, and reads it aloud before the king — the catalyst for the most sweeping reform in Judah's history (2 Kgs 22:3-14; 2 Chr 34:8-20). His legacy extends through his sons, who form a remarkable dynasty of righteous officials: Ahikam shelters Jeremiah from execution (Jer 26:24), Elasah carries Jeremiah's letter to the Babylonian exiles (Jer 29:3), and Gedaliah son of Ahikam becomes governor after Jerusalem's fall (Jer 40:5-9). Ezekiel 8:11 mentions a Jaazaniah son of Shaphan in a more troubling context — burning incense to idols. The Septuagint renders the name as Saphan or Sapphan.