Shephatiah שְׁפַטְיָהוּ

Shephatiah, the son of Mattan, was an official during the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, as mentioned in Jer.38.1. Along with other officials named Gedaliah, Jucal, and Pashhur, Shephatiah heard the words that Jeremiah was speaking to the people, urging them to surrender to the Babylonians to save their lives. The officials, including Shephatiah, reported Jeremiah's words to King Zedekiah and accused the prophet of discouraging the soldiers and the people. They requested permission to put Jeremiah to death, which the king granted. This incident highlights Shephatiah's opposition to Jeremiah's prophetic message and his role in the persecution of the prophet.