Two men named Hanani appear in the Bible, and neither is the main character. One is the father of the prophet Jehu, whose message from the LORD to Baasha opens 1 Kings 16, and who later rebukes King Jehoshaphat: “Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD?” The other is a brother of Nehemiah. He arrived from Jerusalem with news of its trouble, and Nehemiah later trusted him with charge of the city, “a faithful man.” Their stories begin with Hanani in the doorway, and Nehemiah 1 is where to read his arrival.
5 verses
Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying,
And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam; and because he killed him.
And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.
That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.
Matthew George Easton, 1897
God has gratified me, or is gracious. (1.) One of the sons of Heman (1 Chr. 25:4, 25). (2.) A prophet who was sent to rebuke king Asa for entering into a league with Benhadad I., king of Syria, against Judah (2 Chr. 16:1-10). He was probably the father of the prophet Jehu (1 Kings 16:7). (3.) Probably a brother of Nehemiah (Neh. 1:2; 7:2), who reported to him the melancholy condition of Jerusalem. Nehemiah afterwards appointed him to have charge of the city gates.
William Smith, 1884
(gracious).
(1.) One of the sons of Heman, and head of the eighteenth course of the service. (1 Chronicles 25:4,25)
(2.) A seer who rebuked (B.C. 941) Asa king of Judah. (2 Chronicles 16:7) For this he was imprisoned. ver. 10 He or another Hanani was the father of Jehu the seer, who testified against Baasha, (1 Kings 16:1,7) and Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 19:2; 20:34)
(3.) One of the priests who in the time of Ezra had taken strange wives. (Ezra 10:20)
(4.) A brother of Nehemiah, (Nehemiah 1:2) who was made governor of Jerusalem under Nehemiah. Ch. (Nehemiah 7:2)
(5.) A priest mentioned in (Nehemiah 12:36)