Who are the various Hananiahs in the Bible

from the old testament

• Before the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, the prophet Jeremiah wore a yoke around his neck, warning that Judah and the surrounding kingdoms should "bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people and live" (Jeremiah 27:12). A false prophet named Hananiah "took the yoke-bars from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke them," falsely proclaiming that God would "break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years" (Jeremiah 28:10–11). Jeremiah responded to this false prophet, "Listen, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have uttered rebellion against the LORD'" (Jeremiah 28:15–16). "In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died" (Jeremiah 28:17). This Hananiah wanted the kingdom of Judah to resist the Babylonian forces and to believe that their military and political distress was temporary, so he claimed to speak for God when he was actually sharing his personal advice for how to face their enemies. God, however, had already sent Jeremiah to speak the truth to His people. God meted out justice to Hananiah the false prophet and used it as an opportunity to prove to the listeners that Jeremiah was a true prophet by having the prophecy of death come to fruition within the year.
• Another man named Hananiah survived the Babylonian conquest and was exiled to Babylon to be trained for service in the king's court, along with Daniel, Mishael, and Azariah (Daniel 1:6). Upon arrival in Babylon, his name was changed to Shadrach (Daniel 1:7). After their time of training, Hananiah, Daniel, Mishael, and Azariah stood before the king, "And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom" (Daniel 1:20). They were appointed as administrators in the province of Babylon (Daniel 2:49). Later, King Nebuchadnezzar commanded that everyone bow before a golden statue of him or be thrown into a fiery furnace to die. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah refused; instead they "trusted in [God], and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God" (Daniel 3:28). God rescued them in the fiery furnace in the sight of the king. King Nebuchadnezzar recognized "there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way" (Daniel 3:29). Hananiah and his friends were given promotions (Daniel 3:30). This Hananiah's allegiance to the LORD, obedience to His commands, and faith in God's character were a great witness to those in Babylon and influenced the most powerful king of the time.
• Seventy years later, the Jews were permitted to return to Jerusalem and start rebuilding the city and their temple. Nehemiah, who was overseeing the rebuilding of the city's fortification walls, gave "[his] brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many" (Nehemiah 7:2). This Hananiah, like the one in the fiery furnace years earlier, was a faithful man whose lifestyle set him apart in unique ways. Nehemiah, like King Nebuchadnezzar, recognized these qualities as traits that would qualify Hananiah to oversee the administration and governance of the city of Jerusalem.
• The name Hananiah must have been particularly popular during the exile because four other men who returned to Jerusalem also bore this name. These men were: the son of Shelemiah who helped repair the wall around Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:30), another Hananiah who was a perfumer who helped repair a different section of the wall (Nehemiah 3:8), one of the priests with a trumpet at the dedication when the wall was complete (Nehemiah 12:41), and a son of Bebai who committed to put away his foreign wife in favor of a Jewish wife (Ezra 10:28). Hananiah is listed as one of the names on the seals of the covenant when the people recommitted to following God (Nehemiah 10:23) and is listed as one of the heads of a priestly family (Nehemiah 12:12). These last two occurrences may refer to one of the previously mentioned Hananiahs, or may yet be different men. One more man named Hananiah during this time period is listed as a descendant of David, the son of Zerubbabel, in a genealogy in 1 Chronicles 3:19 and 21.
• The name Hananiah appears at other time periods as well. Hananiah was a son of Shashak of the tribe of Benjamin listed in a genealogy that also includes King Saul (1 Chronicles 8:24). Hananiah was a son of Heman in the tribe of Levi and was a musician in ministry to the temple assigned to the sixteenth rotation of service before King David's rule ended (1 Chronicles 25:4, 23). Hananiah was a military official for King Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:11). Hananiah was father to Zedekiah who was an official for King Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 36:12). And Hananiah was a grandfather to Irijah who arrested the prophet Jeremiah under the direction of King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 37:13).

from the new testament

• No Hananiahs appear in the New Testament.

implications for today

From the various Hananiahs in the Bible, we can learn to live by truth, faithfulness, and integrity in our daily lives. The consequences suffered by the false prophet Hananiah reveal that we are called to live honest lives, not ones that promote our own agenda. The Hananiah in Daniel’s time encourages us to maintain our values and stand firm in truth despite pressures to conform. Demonstrating commitment and a strong moral compass can cause one to be entrusted with leadership, much like the other Hananiah’s appointment over Jerusalem’s affairs. Trusting in God’s justice provides comfort and guidance through injustices and challenges. Living this way impacts those around us for our faith.

While the name Hananiah may not be as popular as it once was, people today can still experience the truth of this name. The angels announced to the shepherds when Jesus was born, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests" (Luke 2:14 NIV). Paul wrote to Titus about Jesus' ministry, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people" (Titus 2:11). So all people who place their faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord are "favored of God" and can experience that "the LORD has been gracious," just like Hananiah's name declares.