HANAN

(Haʹnan) [gracious].

1. One of the “sons of Shashak”; a Benjamite.—1 Chron. 8:1, 23-25.

2. Son of Maacah; one of the mighty men of David’s military forces.—1 Chron. 11:26, 43.

3. One of the six sons of Azel; a descendant of King Saul.—1 Chron. 8:33-38; 9:44.

4. Son of Igdaliah. It was in the dining room of the sons of Hanan that the prophet Jeremiah tested the Rechabites’ obedience to the command of their forefather Jehonadab not to drink wine.—Jer. 35:3-6.

5. Head of a family of Nethinim temple slaves, members of which returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel in 537 B.C.E.—Ezra 2:1, 2, 43, 46; Neh. 7:46, 49.

6. One of the Levites who assisted Ezra in explaining the Law to the congregation of Israel assembled in the public square before the Water Gate of Jerusalem. (Neh. 8:1, 7) He may have been the same as No. 7 and/or No. 10.

7. A Levite whose descendant, if not himself, attested by seal the “trustworthy arrangement” contracted during Nehemiah’s governorship. (Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 9, 10) If it was Hanan himself who sealed this agreement, he may be the same as No. 6 above and/or No. 10 below.

8, 9. Two “heads of the people” whose descendants, if not themselves, attested to the confession contract during Nehemiah’s governorship.—Neh. 9:38; 10:1, 14, 22, 26.

10. Son of Zaccur; a faithful Levite appointed by Nehemiah to distribute the due portions to the Levites, under the direction of Shelemiah, Zadok and Pedaiah. (Neh. 13:13) He may be the same as No. 6 and/or No. 7 above.