The Meaning of Nehemiah 7:2 Explained

Nehemiah 7:2

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.

YLT: and I charge Hanani my brother, and Hananiah head of the palace, concerning Jerusalem -- for he is as a man of truth, and fearing God above many --

Darby: And I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the citadel, charge over Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man and feared God above many.

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 Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Nehemiah 7:2 Mean?

Study Notes

feared
.
fear of the Lord
The "fear of the Lord," a phrase of the O.T. piety, meaning reverential trust, with hatred of evil.

Context Summary

Nehemiah 7:1-8 - 36-73, Public-Spirited Citizens
It is probable that Nehemiah returned to the Persian court on the completion of the first part of his enterprise, the building of the walls, and that he left Hananiah and his brother in charge until he had been able to obtain a prolongation of his mission. Hananiah's character is very aptly described in Zechariah 8:1-2301. These are splendid characteristics-the fear of God and faithfulness, 1 Corinthians 4:2. Sound common sense, through which God wrought, dictated the policy of appointing each man to guard his own property, Nehemiah 7:3; Nehemiah 7:5. The extent of the city walls had evidently been marked out in faith, as directed in 1710829036_1. Registration seems to have engrossed much of the care of these returned exiles, and it was necessary, not only that each might inherit his ancestral property, but that the descent of our Lord might be easily traced to David. We ought to be very sure that we and our dear ones are included in God's register. We cannot lay claim to our inheritance, unless we are heirs through the new birth, Romans 8:16-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 7

1  Nehemiah commits the charge of Jerusalem to Hanani and Hananiah
5  A register of the genealogy of them which came at the first out of Babylon
9  of the people
39  of the priests
43  of the Levites
46  of the Nethinims
57  of Solomon's servants
63  and of the priests which could not find their pedigree
66  The whole number of them, with their substance
70  Their offerings

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 7:2 mean?

That the charge I gave to Hanani my brother and Hananiah the leader of the citadel of Jerusalem for he [was] a man faithful and feared - God more than many
וָאֲצַוֶּ֞ה אֶת־ חֲנָ֣נִי אָחִ֗י וְאֶת־ חֲנַנְיָ֛ה שַׂ֥ר הַבִּירָ֖ה עַל־ יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כִּי־ הוּא֙ כְּאִ֣ישׁ אֱמֶ֔ת וְיָרֵ֥א אֶת־ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים מֵרַבִּֽים

וָאֲצַוֶּ֞ה  That  the  charge 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
אֶת־  I  gave 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חֲנָ֣נִי  to  Hanani 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲנָנִי  
Sense: one of the sons of Heman, a chief musician of David, and head of the 8th course of the service.
אָחִ֗י  my  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
חֲנַנְיָ֛ה  Hananiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲנַנְיָה 
Sense: the godly friend of Daniel whom Nebuchadnezzar renamed Shadrach; one of the three friends who with Daniel refused to make themselves unclean by eating food from the king’s table which went against the dietary laws which God had given the Jews; also one of the three who were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to a graven image of Nebuchadnezzar and who were saved by the angel of the Lord.
שַׂ֥ר  the  leader 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
הַבִּירָ֖ה  of  the  citadel 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: בִּירָה  
Sense: palace, castle.
יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
הוּא֙  he  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
כְּאִ֣ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֱמֶ֔ת  faithful 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.
וְיָרֵ֥א  and  feared 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מֵרַבִּֽים  more  than  many 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.