Nehemiah 7:2

2 I put my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the palace, in charge of Jerusalem. Hananiah was honest and feared God more than most people.

Nehemiah 7:2 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 7:2

That I gave my brother Hanani
Who first brought him the melancholy account of the state of Jerusalem, ( Nehemiah 1:2 Nehemiah 1:3 ) ,

and Hananiah the ruler of the palace;
the king's palace, in which the viceroy of the king of Persia dwelt, and now Nehemiah; to these two men he gave

charge over Jerusalem;
committed it to their care during his absence, who may be supposed now to return to Persia, as he had promised, ( Nehemiah 2:6 ) ,

for he was a faithful man;
this is said of Hananiah, and given as a reason why such a trust was committed to him; Hanani's character was well known, and his journey from Jerusalem to Shushan was a full proof of his hearty concern for the interest of it:

and feared God above many;
Hananiah was exemplary in his fear of God, few were equal to him, and none exceeded him; or of many days, as Jarchi; of a long time he had feared the Lord, and served him many years.

Nehemiah 7:2 In-Context

1 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were chosen.

2 I put my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the palace, in charge of Jerusalem. Hananiah was honest and feared God more than most people.

3 I said to them, "The gates of Jerusalem should not be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut and bolt the doors. Appoint people who live in Jerusalem as guards, and put some at guard posts and some near their own houses."

4 The city was large and roomy, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.

5 Then my God caused me to gather the important men, the leaders, and the common people so I could register them by families. I found the family history of those who had returned first. This is what I found written there: