Hephzibah is a Hebrew name that appears a few times in the Old Testament of the Bible. The name means “my delight is in her” and is symbolic of God’s delight and favor for His people. Let’s take a look at the key passages where Hephzibah appears and examine its meaning and significance.
Hephzibah in 2 Kings 21
The name Hephzibah first appears in 2 Kings 21, which recounts the evil reign of King Manasseh of Judah. We read in verse 1:
Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.
(2 Kings 21:1)
So Hephzibah was the mother of King Manasseh. Her name means “my delight is in her,” indicating that she was dearly loved by her parents. Despite Manasseh’s wickedness, Hephzibah’s name reflects the parental hope that she would bring joy and delight to her family.
Names in the ancient world often reflected a parent’s prayer or blessing over a child. So Hephzibah’s parents likely bestowed this meaningful name, expressing their delight and high hopes for their daughter. Tragically, Manasseh did not follow the faithful ways of his father Hezekiah but led the nation into idolatrous practices.
Hephzibah in Isaiah 62
The name Hephzibah appears again in Isaiah 62 in a prophecy about the restoration of Jerusalem. God declares in verse 4:
You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be married.
(Isaiah 62:4)
Here, Hephzibah is symbolic of God’s delight and joy over His people. Though Israel had been forsaken and exiled for their disobedience, God promises to restore and redeem them once again. He declares that Jerusalem will no longer be called Desolate and Forsaken, but will be called Hephzibah, or “My Delight Is in Her.” This signifies the intimate, covenant love that God has for His people.
Even when they are unfaithful, He remains faithful. His love and delight for His people are permanent and rooted in His steadfast commitment to the covenant promises. Just as a husband delights in his bride, Yahweh delights and rejoices over His people Israel. Hephzibah beautifully expresses this joyous, covenantal love of God.
Themes and Meaning
From these two passages, we see some key Biblical themes connected with Hephzibah:
- God’s delight and favor for His people
- God’s steadfast, covenant love
- The restoration and redemption of God’s people
- Intimacy in relationship with God
So at its core, Hephzibah expresses the delight, favor, and steadfast love that God has for His children. Even when God’s people are unfaithful, God’s love remains. His delight in His people is permanent because it is rooted in His promises and covenant commitment.
Hephzibah is a beautiful picture of adoption – being permanently brought into God’s family out of delight and love. It communicates intimacy in relationship with God as our Father. Just as parents delight in their children, God delights in His sons and daughters. Believers in Jesus are declared righteous in Christ, and adopted as God’s cherished children. So for Christians today, Hephzibah is a meaningful reminder of God’s steadfast, covenant love demonstrated through Jesus.
Usage in the Bible
Hephzibah appears only twice in the Bible – 2 Kings 21 referring to Manasseh’s mother, and Isaiah 62 prophesying about the restoration of Jerusalem. But though the name is rare, its core meaning and themes are central to Scripture. God’s steadfast, delighted love fills the pages of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.
Some other passages that reflect these Hephzibah themes include:
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. (1 John 3:1)
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:4-5)
So though uncommon, the core meaning behind Hephzibah shows up all throughout Scripture – God’s delight in His people, steadfast love, restoration, redemption, and adoption.
Significance and Usage Today
For Christians today, Hephzibah remains a meaningful name that points to Biblical truths about God’s character and love. Parents sometimes choose Hephzibah as a baby name to signify their delight and joy in their child, while also expressing a prayer that their daughter would walk faithfully with God.
But more broadly, Hephzibah reminds all believers of the steadfast love, joy, and favor they have as God’s children through faith in Jesus. Just as Israelites were declared Hephzibah through God’s restoration, Christians have been restored and adopted through the gospel. This gives us tremendous hope, assurance, and comfort in our relationship with God. Hephzibah reminds us that we belong to Christ – we are God’s cherished children in whom He delights!
So in summary, Hephzibah is a symbolic name pointing to the profound Biblical truth that God delights in His people. Through faith in Jesus, believers have the privilege of being called children of God. Hephzibah expresses the intimacy we enjoy in relationship with our Heavenly Father, who rejoices over us with singing. This is the delightful, steadfast love that all Christians cling to by the power of the gospel.