Original Word: חֲנַמְאֵל
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Chanam'el
Pronunciation: khan-am-ale'
Phonetic Spelling: (khan-am-ale')
KJV: Hanameel
NASB: Hanamel
Word Origin: [probably by orthographical variation for H2606 (חֲנַנאֵל - Hananel)]

1. Chanamel, an Israelite

Hanameel

Probably by orthographical variation for Chanan'el; Chanamel, an Israelite -- Hanameel.

see HEBREW Chanan'el

Word Origin
perhaps from Chananel
Definition
Jeremiah's cousin
NASB Translation
Hanamel (4).

חֲנַמְאֵל proper name, masculine (perhaps = חנןאֿל) — Jeremiah's cousin, son of his uncle Jeremiah 32:7,8,9, compare דֹּדִי ׳ח Jeremiah 32:12; ᵐ5 Αναμεηλ.

Meaning and Theological Nuance

Hanamel’s name expresses the gracious favor of God, a fitting backdrop to the hope-laden narrative in which he appears. Although the Babylonian siege pressed hard upon Jerusalem, Hanamel’s interaction with Jeremiah served as a living sermon that “nothing is too difficult” for the Lord (Jeremiah 32:17).

Genealogical Setting

Hanamel was the son of Shallum, Jeremiah’s paternal uncle, making him the prophet’s first cousin (Jeremiah 32:7). The family belonged to the priestly line resident in Anathoth, a Levitical town within the tribal allotment of Benjamin (Joshua 21:18). As priests, they were well-versed in the covenantal land-laws that frame the episode.

Narrative Context in Jeremiah 32

1. Jeremiah 32:7 — The Lord forewarns the prophet that Hanamel will request the purchase of the ancestral field in Anathoth.
2. Jeremiah 32:8 — Hanamel arrives, confirming the divine word.
3. Jeremiah 32:9 — Jeremiah buys the field for “seventeen shekels of silver,” weighing out the payment in Hanamel’s presence.
4. Jeremiah 32:12 — Jeremiah passes the sealed and open deeds to Baruch “in the presence of Hanamel,” guaranteeing public accountability.

These four verses constitute the entire biblical record of Hanamel, yet together they anchor one of Scripture’s clearest enacted prophecies of restoration.

Legal and Cultural Background

Under Leviticus 25:23–25, land was to remain within the clan, and near-kinsmen carried the duty of redemption. By invoking Jeremiah as “the right of redemption” (Jeremiah 32:7), Hanamel appealed to this Law. The transaction unfolded with meticulous adherence to covenantal procedure—silver weighed, deeds sealed, witnesses summoned, and the documents stored “in a clay jar, so that they may last a long time” (Jeremiah 32:14). Even as Babylon tightened its grip, God preserved both the letter of the Law and the hope of the land.

Prophetic Symbolism

Hanamel’s request and Jeremiah’s obedience became a sign-act forecasting Israel’s future. The purchase broadcast God’s promise: “Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land” (Jeremiah 32:15). The field thus stood as a quiet but potent pledge that exile would not nullify the Abrahamic inheritance.

Theological Themes

• Covenant Faithfulness: The episode proves that God’s covenant stipulations remain operative even when judgment falls.
• Hope in Crisis: Hanamel’s land, surrounded by invaders, supplied tangible proof that divine purposes outlast present calamities.
• Obedient Faith: Hanamel offered, Jeremiah purchased, and both men trusted that God would vindicate His word.

Ministry Applications

1. Stewardship under Pressure: Believers today can emulate Hanamel’s readiness to act in harmony with God’s revealed will despite bleak circumstances.
2. Witness through Ordinary Transactions: The buying and selling of property, performed with integrity before witnesses, became a prophetic proclamation. Modern disciples likewise can turn routine dealings into testimony.
3. Encouragement for Exiles: Congregations enduring hardship may draw strength from the certainty that God’s redemptive timeline is never thwarted.

Foreshadowing of Redemptive Work

The kinsman-redeemer motif that frames Hanamel’s field subtly prefigures the greater redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ, the ultimate Relative who “purchased” an inheritance for His people (Ephesians 1:14). As Jeremiah sealed the deed until the appointed day, so the Spirit seals believers “for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).

Related Topics

Land Redemption • Levitical Cities • Prophetic Sign-Acts • Faith during Siege • Covenant Hope

חֲנַמְאֵ֗ל חֲנַמְאֵ֣ל חֲנַמְאֵ֥ל חֲנַמְאֵ֨ל חנמאל chanamEl ḥă·nam·’êl ḥănam’êlInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts