Hachaliah

Biblical Record

Hachaliah appears twice in the Bible, and in both instances he is mentioned by name only, in the phrase "Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah."

• Nehemiah 1:1: This is the first verse of the Book of Nehemiah. The book opens with the heading "The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah," followed by the account of Nehemiah's being in Shushan the palace in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes.
• Nehemiah 10:1: When the people made a covenant to keep God's law and set their seals to a written document, the first name recorded is "Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah," that is, Nehemiah the governor.

Scripture records nothing about Hachaliah's tribe, occupation, place of residence, or life.

Significance Within the Bible

In ancient Israel, individuals were commonly distinguished by the addition of their father's name. The name Hachaliah likewise serves to identify Nehemiah. Hachaliah is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Points of Discussion

• Meaning of the name: The meaning of the Hebrew name is uncertain, and scholars have proposed various interpretations.
• Family relationships: In Nehemiah 7:2, Nehemiah calls Hanani "my brother." For this reason, some hold that Hanani was also a son of Hachaliah, although the text does not directly connect Hanani with Hachaliah.
• Family background: In Nehemiah 2:3, Nehemiah describes Jerusalem as "the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres." On this basis, some conclude that his family had its roots in Jerusalem. This verse, however, refers to his ancestors as a whole and says nothing about Hachaliah himself.
• Some have speculated that Hachaliah was a Judean who remained in Persia after the Babylonian exile, but the biblical text does not state this directly.

In the Korean Church

Hachaliah is rarely the subject of sermons or Sunday school lessons in his own right. He is usually mentioned only as Nehemiah's father when Nehemiah 1 is read or when Nehemiah is introduced.