חֲנַנְיָ֫הוּ (cha.nan.yah)
cha.nan.yah
Hananiah
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 27 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Hananiah means "Yahweh has been gracious," a common Hebrew personal name appearing twenty-seven times in the Old Testament. Rather than referring to a single historical figure, it identifies several distinct men across different eras of Israel's history, from the pre-exilic monarchy through the post-exilic restoration.
Among these individuals is a false prophet in Jeremiah’s time who confidently predicted the swift return of temple vessels from Babylon (Jeremiah 28:3). Another holds a position of musical leadership as a chief among Heman’s sons, overseeing one of the priestly divisions (1 Chronicles 25:4). The name also appears in genealogies linking Zerubbabel to later generations and identifies priests who helped rebuild Jerusalem’s walls under Nehemiah.
This variety highlights how frequently families invoked divine favor in their naming practices. The recurrence of Hananiah across different social roles—prophet, musician, builder, and leader—demonstrates the name's widespread use among faithful Israelites seeking to acknowledge God’s kindness in their lives.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Hananiah carries a simple but powerful meaning: Yahweh has been gracious. It appears twenty-seven times in the Old Testament, attached to various men including prophets, musicians, and builders. This variety shows how common it was for families to invoke God’s kindness in their daily lives. Whether leading temple worship or repairing city walls, these individuals carried a name that pointed back to divine favor.
One of the most striking accounts involves Hananiah the prophet in Jeremiah 28. He boldly claimed God would break Babylon’s yoke within two years, only for Jeremiah to reveal this was a lie. This story reminds us that names carry weight, but true faithfulness requires listening carefully to God’s actual word rather than relying on confident promises. We are invited to rest in the reality of God’s grace, not just the hope of it.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 27 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Hananiah22×
- and/ to/ Hananiah2×
- and/ Hananiah2×
- to/ Hananiah1×
- O Hananiah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חֲנַנְיָ֖ה5×
- חֲנַנְיָ֔ה3×
- חֲנַנְיָה֩2×
- חֲנַנְיָ֥ה2×
- חֲנַנְיָ֤ה2×
- חֲנַנְיָ֣ה2×
- חֲנַנְיָ֑ה2×
- לַ/חֲנַנְיָ֔הוּ1×
- חֲנַנְיָֽה\׃1×
- חֲנַנְיָ֜ה1×
- חֲנַנְיָ֛ה1×
- חֲנַנְיָ֖הוּ1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 28:1
That same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spoke to me in Yahweh’s house, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
This verse introduces Hananiah as a prophet from Gibeon who speaks directly in Yahweh’s house, setting the stage for a major conflict over truth and deception.
-
Jeremiah 28:15
Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! Yahweh has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie.
Jeremiah confronts Hananiah here, stating that God has not sent him and that he is making the people trust in a lie.
-
Daniel 1:6
Now among these of the children of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Hananiah appears among the exiles chosen for service in Babylon, highlighting his role alongside Daniel, Mishael, and Azariah during a time of cultural displacement.
-
Nehemiah 7:2
I put my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man and feared God above many.
This passage identifies Hananiah as governor of the fortress, noting he was a faithful man who feared God above many.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Hananiah mean?
Is Hananiah the same person as Shadrach?
Why is Hananiah mentioned in Jeremiah 28?
How many times does Hananiah appear in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (27 verses across 6 books)
I Chronicles 5 verses
The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah; and Shelomith was their…
I Chronicles 3:21The sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah; the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of…
I Chronicles 8:24Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah,
I Chronicles 25:4Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti,…
I Chronicles 25:23for the sixteenth to Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve;