Hananiah

HANANIAH (hăn'a-nī'a, Heb. hănanyâh, Jehovah is gracious)

2. A Benjamite, son of Shashak (1 Chron 8:24).

3. One of the sons of Heman, who could prophesy with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals; he was the head of the sixteenth of the twenty-four courses of musicians formed by David for the sanctuary (1 Chron 25:4, 23).

4. One of King Uzziah’s military commanders (2 Chron 26:11).

5. A son of Azzur, a Gibeonite, a false prophet who opposed Jeremiah, foretelling that King Jeconiah and the Jewish captives in Babylon would return to Jerusalem in two years time, bringing with them the vessels of the Temple which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away. In reply Jeremiah told him that his prophecy was false, and that because he had made the people believe a lie, he would die within the year. Jeremiah’s words were fulfilled when Hananiah died seven months later (Jer 28).

6. Father of Zedekiah, one of the princes of Judah under Jehoiakim (Jer 36:12).

7. Grandfather of Irijah, the captain of the guard who arrested Jeremiah on the charge of intending to desert to the Babylonians (Jer 37:13-15).

8. One of the companions of Daniel, whose name was changed to Shadrach by the Babylonians (Dan 1:6, 7; 1 Macc 2:59).

9. A Levite, a son of Bebai, induced by Ezra to put away his foreign wife (Ezra 10:28; 1 Esd 9:29).

10. A perfumer who helped Nehemiah rebuild the wall of Jerusalem (Neh 3:8).

11. One who helped repair the wall above the horse gate (Neh 3:30). He may be the same as #10.

12. Governor of the “castle,” or fortress, appointed by Jeremiah as joint ruler with Hanani, Nehemiah’s brother, over Jerusalem. He is described as a faithful man and one who feared God above many (Neh 7:2).

13. A leading Jew who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah (Neh 10:23).

14. A priest who was present at the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem (Neh 12:12, 41). Some of the men with this name in Ezra and Nehemiah may be the same. There is no way of being sure.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

This was a common name in Israel for many centuries.

(1) A Benjamite (1Ch 8:24).

(2) A captain of Uzziah’s army (2Ch 26:11).

(3) Father of one of the princes under Jehoiakim (Jer 36:12).

(4) One of the sons of Heman and leader of the 16th division of David’s musicians (1Ch 25:4,23).

(5) Grandfather of the officer of the guard which apprehended Jeremiah on a charge of desertion (Jer 37:13).

(6) A false prophet of Gibeon, son of Azzur, who opposed Jeremiah, predicting that the yoke of Babylon would be broken in two years, and that the king, the people and the vessels of the temple would be brought back to Jerusalem. Jeremiah would be glad if it should be so, nevertheless it would not be. The question then arose, Which is right, Jeremiah or Hananiah? Jeremiah claimed that he was right because he was in accordance with all the great prophets of the past who prophesied evil and their words came true. Therefore his words are more likely to be true. The prophet of good, however, must wait to have his prophecy fulfilled before he can be accredited. Hananiah took off the yoke from Jeremiah and broke it in pieces, symbolic of the breaking of the power of Babylon. Jeremiah was seemingly beaten, retired and received a message from Yahweh that the bar of wood would become a bar of iron, and that Hananiah would die during the year because he had spoken rebellion against Yahweh (Jer 28 passim).

(7) One of Daniel’s companions in Babylon whose name was changed to Shadrach (Da 1:7,11,19).

(8) A son of Zerubbabel (1Ch 3:19,21).

(9) A Levite, one of the sons of Bebai, one of those who married foreign wives (Ezr 10:28; 1Esdras 9:29).

(10) One of the perfumers (the King James Version "apothecaries") who wrought in rebuilding the wall under Nehemiah (Ne 3:8).

(11) One who helped to repair the wall above the horse gate (Ne 3:30). This may be the same person as number 10.

(12) A governor of the castle, i.e. the birah or fortress, and by Nehemiah placed in charge of the whole city of Jerusalem, because "he was a faithful man, and feared God above many" (Ne 7:2).

(13) One of those who sealed the covenant under Nehemiah (Ne 10:23); a Levite.

(14) A priest who was present at the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem (Ne 12:12,41).

J. J. Reeve