Nehemiah 7:2
in Nehemiah 7Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah the commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
that I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the castle, charge over Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
KJV
That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
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This verse in Nehemiah 7
Commentary
8 notes on this verseMy brother Hanani - This was the person who gave Nehemiah the account of the desolate state of the Jews, Neh 1:2. He is now made ruler of Jerusalem, probably because Nehemiah was about to return to the Persian court. And he found this man to be one in whom he could trust: 1. Because he was a faithful man - one who had a proper belief in God, his government, and his protection; and being devoted to the interests of his people, would be faithful in the discharge of his office.
This site's exposition
When the wall had been rebuilt
on Nehemiah 7:1-2
The first act after the doors are set is to appoint "the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites." Nehemiah puts the city in the hands of Hananiah, because "he was a faithful man who feared God more than most" (7:2). Character decides, ahead of rank, who guards a rebuilt Jerusalem.
This site's exposition
put my brother Hanani in charge
Hanani is the brother who brought the report, so the man who first told of the ruin now governs the rebuilt city. Hananiah commands the fortress, likely the temple citadel. Adam Clarke and Jamieson, Fausset and Brown both read the handover as preparation for Nehemiah's return to the Persian court.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
): These are the children of the province, &c. Two things are here repeated and recorded a second time from thence--the names and numbers of their several families, and their oblations to the service of the temple.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
That I gave my brother Hanani,....
Those that fear God must evidence it by their being faithful to all men and universally conscientious. God's Jerusalem is then likely to flourish when those rule in it, and have charge of it, who excel in virtue, and are eminent both for godliness and honesty.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
I gave my brother Hanani . . . charge over Jerusalem--If, as is commonly supposed, Nehemiah was now contemplating a return to Shushan according to his promise, it was natural that he should wish to entrust the custody of Jerusalem and the management of its civic affairs to men on whose ability, experience, and fidelity, he could confide.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
My brother Hanani - See Neh 1:2. The ruler of the palace - Or, “the governor of the fortress.” See the marginal reference note. He - i. e. Hananiah.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
were appointed The Levites were now made appointees over their stations to be gatekeepers and singers in the Temple.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
until the sun becomes hot until midday, for the day was long.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וָאֲצַוֶּ֞ה | vaatzaveh | and I appointed | H6680 → | 494 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֲנָ֣נִי | chanani | Hanani | H2607 → | 11 times |
| אָחִ֗י | ʾachi | brother my | H251 → | 630 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֲנַנְיָ֛ה | chananyah | Hananiah | H2608 → | 29 times |
| שַׂ֥ר | sar | [the] commander of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| הַבִּירָ֖ה | habirah | the citadel | H1002 → | 16 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הוּא֙ | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| כְּאִ֣ישׁ | keish | [was] like a man of | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֱמֶ֔ת | ʾemet | faithfulness | H571 → | 127 times |
| וְיָרֵ֥א | veyare' | and fearing | H3372 → | 315 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| מֵרַבִּֽים׃ | merabim | more than many [people] | H7227 → | 454 times |
וָאֲצַוֶּ֞הand I appointed
vaatzavehH6680 →494 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
חֲנָ֣נִיHanani
chananiH2607 →11 times
אָחִ֗יbrother my
ʾachiH251 →630 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
חֲנַנְיָ֛הHananiah
chananyahH2608 →29 times
שַׂ֥ר[the] commander of
sarH8269 →421 times
הַבִּירָ֖הthe citadel
habirahH1002 →16 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑םJerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
כִּי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הוּא֙he
hu'H1931 →1879 times
כְּאִ֣ישׁ[was] like a man of
keishH376 →1663 times
אֱמֶ֔תfaithfulness
ʾemetH571 →127 times
וְיָרֵ֥אand fearing
veyare'H3372 →315 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
מֵרַבִּֽים׃more than many [people]
merabimH7227 →454 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 25:21His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
it leads to
- John 12:26
If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 25:23
His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
- Luke 16:10
Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
- 2 Timothy 2:12
if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us;
- Revelation 3:21
To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
- John 12:26
Through
Psalms 101:6My eyes favor the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way of integrity shall minister to me.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:63
I am a friend to all who fear You, and to those who keep Your precepts.
- Revelation 21:3
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will…
- Luke 12:43–44
Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
- Psalms 119:63
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Nehemiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.