Hephzibah (warrior)

Hephzibah or Hepzibah (English: /ˈhɛfzɪbə/ or /ˈhɛpzɪbə/; Hebrew: חֶפְצִי־בָּהּ, Modern: ḥefṣī-bah, Tiberian: ḥep̄ṣī-ḇāh, my delight is in her) is a figure in the Apocalypse of Zerubbabel, who is also mentioned in the Zohar.^[1] She was the wife of Nathan, and the mother of Menahem ben Ammiel, a putative messiah.^[2]

According to the Apocalypse of Zerubbabel, Hephzibah was a female warrior who slayed multiple evil kings.^[3] Her military exploits occurred in connection with the Jewish revolt against Heraclius and the Sasanian conquest of Jerusalem.^[4] Many of the various versions of the Apocalypse of Zerubbabel describe divine actions assisting and foreshadowing Hephzibah’s military accomplishments, including the versions translated by Martha Himmelfarb^[5] and John C. Reeves.^[6]

References

^ https://academia.edu/resource/work/5765246 (“The Zohar (3.173b) is cognizant of the legend of Hephṣibah, the mother of the Davidic messiah. . . .”)
^ https://www.zohar.com/zohar/Shlach%20Lecha/verses/298-306 (“298. . . . ‘You that bring good tidings to Zion’ is Hephzibah, the wife of Nathan son of David, who is the mother of the Messiah, Menachem son of Amiel, WHO WAS HER DESCENDANT. She shall go out and bring the tidings ABOUT REDEMPTION and she is part of the general meaning of: ‘You that bring good tidings to Zion.’”)
^ The Apocalypse: A Brief History (PDF). Wiley-Blackwell: A John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Publication. Malden (Massachusetts), Oxford, West Sussex. 2010. p. 120. ISBN 9781405113472. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
^ https://www.ancientjewreview.com/read/2017/3/26/book-note-jewish-messiahs-in-a-christian-empire-a-history-of-the-book-of-zerubbabel (“In Chapter Two, [the author of Jewish Messiahs in a Christian Empire, Martha] Himmelfarb[,] focuses on Sefer Zerubbabel’s figure of Hephzibah, the warrior-mother of the Messiah.”)
^ See Himmelfarb, Martha (2017). Jewish Messiahs in a Christian Empire. Harvard University Press. p. 150. ISBN 9780674057623. Retrieved 2023-04-26. ("Metatron, the commander of the Lord's host . . . said, "[t]he Lord will give Hephzibah, the mother of Menahem b. Ammiel, a staff for these acts of salvation. A great star will shine before her. All the stars will swerve from their paths. Hephzibah, the mother of Menahem b. Ammiel, will go forth and kill two kings, both with hearts set on doing evil (see Dan 11:27). The names of the two kings are Nof, king of Yemen, who will wave his hand (Isa 11:15) at Jerusalem, and the name of the second, is Iszinan, king of Antioch. This war and these signs will take place on the Festival of Weeks in the third month.")
^ https://pages.charlotte.edu/john-reeves/research-projects/trajectories-in-near-eastern-apocalyptic/sefer-zerubbabel/ ("Metatron, the leader of the host of the Lord [] said to me: ‘The Lord will give a rod (for accomplishing) these salvific acts to Hephsibah, the mother of Menahem ben ‘Amiel. A great star will shine before her, and all the stars will wander aimlessly from their paths. Hephsibah, the mother of Menahem ben ‘Amiel, will go forth and kill two kings, both of whom are determined to do evil. The name(s) of the two rulers (whom she will slay): Nōph, king of Teman, (so named) because he will shake (henīf) his hand toward Jerusalem, (is the first one), and the name of the second is ’Isrinan, king of Antioch. This conflict and these signs will take place during the festival of Shavu‘ot in the third month.”)

[1] ttps://academia.edu/resource/work/5765246 (“The Zohar (3.173b) is cognizant of the legend of Hephṣibah, the mother of the Davidic messiah. . . .”)

[2] ttps://www.zohar.com/zohar/Shlach%20Lecha/verses/298-306 (“298. . . . ‘You that bring good tidings to Zion’ is Hephzibah, the wife of Nathan son of David, who is the mother of the Messiah, Menachem son of Amiel, WHO WAS HER DESCENDANT. She shall go out and bring the tidings ABOUT REDEMPTION and she is part of the general meaning of: ‘You that bring good tidings to Zion.’”)

[3] The Apocalypse: A Brief History (PDF). Wiley-Blackwell: A John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Publication. Malden (Massachusetts), Oxford, West Sussex. 2010. p. 120. ISBN 9781405113472. Retrieved 2022-12-21.

[4] ttps://www.ancientjewreview.com/read/2017/3/26/book-note-jewish-messiahs-in-a-christian-empire-a-history-of-the-book-of-zerubbabel (“In Chapter Two, [the author of Jewish Messiahs in a Christian Empire, Martha] Himmelfarb[,] focuses on Sefer Zerubbabel’s figure of Hephzibah, the warrior-mother of the Messiah.”)

[5] See Himmelfarb, Martha (2017). Jewish Messiahs in a Christian Empire. Harvard University Press. p. 150. ISBN 9780674057623. Retrieved 2023-04-26. ("Metatron, the commander of the Lord's host . . . said, "[t]he Lord will give Hephzibah, the mother of Menahem b. Ammiel, a staff for these acts of salvation. A great star will shine before her. All the stars will swerve from their paths. Hephzibah, the mother of Menahem b. Ammiel, will go forth and kill two kings, both with hearts set on doing evil (see Dan 11:27). The names of the two kings are Nof, king of Yemen, who will wave his hand (Isa 11:15) at Jerusalem, and the name of the second, is Iszinan, king of Antioch. This war and these signs will take place on the Festival of Weeks in the third month.")

[6] ttps://pages.charlotte.edu/john-reeves/research-projects/trajectories-in-near-eastern-apocalyptic/sefer-zerubbabel/ ("Metatron, the leader of the host of the Lord [] said to me: ‘The Lord will give a rod (for accomplishing) these salvific acts to Hephsibah, the mother of Menahem ben ‘Amiel. A great star will shine before her, and all the stars will wander aimlessly from their paths. Hephsibah, the mother of Menahem ben ‘Amiel, will go forth and kill two kings, both of whom are determined to do evil. The name(s) of the two rulers (whom she will slay): Nōph, king of Teman, (so named) because he will shake (henīf) his hand toward Jerusalem, (is the first one), and the name of the second is ’Isrinan, king of Antioch. This conflict and these signs will take place during the festival of Shavu‘ot in the third month.”)

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