Lexical Summary Chananel: Hananel Original Word: חֲנַנְאֵל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hananeel From chanan and 'el; God has favored; Chananel, probably an Israelite, from whom a tower of Jerusalem was named -- Hananeel. see HEBREW chanan see HEBREW 'el NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chanan and el Definition "God is gracious," a tower in Jer. NASB Translation Hananel (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֲנַנְאֵל proper name, masculine (E l; is gracious; compare Phoenician חננבעל, אלחנן, etc.) — name of a tower at Jerusalem Jeremiah 31:38; Zechariah 14:10; Nehemiah 3:1; Nehemiah 12:39. Topical Lexicon Geographic Placement Hananel refers to a strategic tower at the north-western corner of Jerusalem’s wall. Together with the Tower of the Hundred and the Corner Gate, it formed a key point of defense where the city was most exposed to invasion from the north. Its location made it both a military bulwark and a symbolic reminder that divine favor, not merely masonry, guarded the Holy City. Occurrences in Scripture Nehemiah 3:1 records that “Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and set its doors in place. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred and consecrated it, and then as far as the Tower of Hananel”. Nehemiah 12:39 places the tower within the joyful dedication procession around the restored walls. Jeremiah 31:38 uses it as a prophetic marker of the city’s future expansion: “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when this city will be rebuilt for Me, from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.” Zechariah 14:10 anticipates the eschatological transformation of the land, naming Hananel as one fixed point in a leveled, secure Jerusalem. Historical Background 1. First Temple era: The tower probably originated in the defensive system of pre-exilic Jerusalem. Prophetic Significance Jeremiah and Zechariah employ Hananel as a fixed coordinate anchoring promises of corporate renewal. The prophets teach that God’s covenant faithfulness will give Jerusalem permanence even through judgment and upheaval. Hananel thus becomes a witness to both historical restoration under Nehemiah and ultimate restoration in the Messianic age. Theological Themes • Divine Favor and Protection: The tower’s very name reminds readers that security comes by grace. Ministry Application 1. Leadership: Spiritual leaders are called to repair breaches both spiritual and societal, as the priests did at Hananel. Summary Hananel stands as a literal tower and a figurative testimony. Rooted in Jerusalem’s history, it points to God’s preserving grace, beckons His people to faithful labor, and anchors prophetic expectations of a fully redeemed city where the LORD Himself is the everlasting wall. Forms and Transliterations חֲנַנְאֵ֔ל חֲנַנְאֵ֖ל חֲנַנְאֵֽל׃ חֲנַנְאֵל֙ חננאל חננאל׃ chananEl ḥă·nan·’êl ḥănan’êlLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Nehemiah 3:1 HEB: עַ֖ד מִגְדַּ֥ל חֲנַנְאֵֽל׃ ס NAS: [and] the Tower of Hananel. KJV: it, unto the tower of Hananeel. INT: against the Tower of Hananel Nehemiah 12:39 Jeremiah 31:38 Zechariah 14:10 4 Occurrences |
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