Hanani חֲנָנִי
A returnee from Babylon who had married a foreign wife.
Who is Hanani in the Bible?
Hanani was one of the Israelites who returned from Babylonian exile and is mentioned in Ezra 10:20 as having married a foreign wife. During Ezra's religious reform in Jerusalem, the returned exiles were confronted about their intermarriage with neighboring peoples, which violated God's command to maintain separation and purity as His chosen people. Hanani was among those who confessed this sin and pledged to put away his foreign wife as part of the community's effort to restore obedience to God's laws. His inclusion in this account illustrates the challenges faced by the post-exilic community in maintaining their distinct identity and covenant relationship with God.
Biography
Hanani is mentioned in Ezr.10.20 as one of the men who had returned from the Babylonian exile and had married foreign wives. During the time of Ezra, the Israelites who had returned to Jerusalem were found to have intermarried with the neighboring peoples, going against God's command to maintain their purity and separation. Ezra, a priest and scribe, led a reform to address this issue. He called an assembly and urged the people to confess their sin and separate themselves from their foreign wives. Hanani was among those listed who had taken foreign wives and pledged to put them away. This event demonstrates the importance of obedience to God's laws and the need for the returned exiles to maintain their distinct identity as God's chosen people.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:20
"From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | חֲנָנִי |