Lexical Summary Chakalyah: Hakaliah Original Word: חֲכַלְיָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hachaliah From the base of chakliyl and Yahh; darkness of Jah; Chakaljah, an Israelite -- Hachaliah. see HEBREW chakliyl see HEBREW Yahh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originperhaps from the same as Chakilah and from Yah Definition perhaps "wait for Yah," father of Nehemiah NASB Translation Hacaliah (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֲכַלְיָה proper name, masculine (meaning dubious; perhaps חַכֵּה לְיָהּ wait for Yahweh, √ חכה, So We? — father of Nehemiah Nehemiah 1:1, ᵐ5 Χελκ(ε)ια, ᵐ5L Χελκιας(ου), א; A Αχαλια; Nehemiah 10:2 ᵐ5 Αχελια, A ᵐ5L Αχαλια. Topical Lexicon Canonical Context Hacaliah appears only twice in canonical Scripture, both times in the Book of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:1; 10:1). In each instance he is identified as the father of Nehemiah, the governor who oversaw the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls and the spiritual renewal of the returned exiles. Though mentioned briefly, his name frames the narrative, rooting Nehemiah’s memoirs in a specific family and reinforcing the historicity of the events described. Historical Setting The references to Hacaliah fall in the mid-fifth century BC during the reign of Artaxerxes I of Persia. Judah had been under Persian rule for roughly a century, and the Jewish community in Jerusalem was struggling with physical vulnerability and spiritual compromise. Nehemiah’s leadership—authorized by the Persian court—sparked a revival that culminated in covenant renewal (Nehemiah 8–10). Hacaliah, therefore, is situated in the generation that bridged the Babylonian exile and the reestablishment of Judah’s religious life in the land. Family and Lineage Scripture names only three sons of Hacaliah: 1. Nehemiah, cupbearer to Artaxerxes and later governor of Judah (Nehemiah 1:1; 10:1). The family likely belonged to the tribe of Judah, lending royal and messianic overtones to Nehemiah’s mission to restore Jerusalem. Spiritual Influence and Legacy Although Scripture is silent on Hacaliah’s personal deeds, the character of his sons suggests a household grounded in covenant faithfulness. Nehemiah’s immediate reaction to the news of Jerusalem—“When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1:4)—reflects a spiritual formation that must have begun in his father’s home. The courage, administrative skill, and theological conviction Nehemiah displays can, in part, be traced back to Hacaliah’s influence. Theological Themes 1. Godly Heritage. Scripture often shows the impact of faithful parenting (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; 2 Timothy 1:5). Hacaliah illustrates how a parent’s unseen faithfulness can prepare a child for public ministry. Practical Ministry Applications • Parents play a vital, though sometimes hidden, role in shaping leaders for God’s work. Inter-Textual Notes • Like Jesse, known chiefly as “the father of David” (1 Samuel 16:1), Hacaliah is remembered primarily through his son’s accomplishments, reminding readers that lesser-known saints contribute indispensably to redemptive history. See Also Nehemiah; Hanani; Genealogies in Ezra-Nehemiah; Post-Exilic Restoration Forms and Transliterations חֲכַלְיָ֑ה חֲכַלְיָ֖ה חכליה chachalYah ḥă·ḵal·yāh ḥăḵalyāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Nehemiah 1:1 HEB: נְחֶמְיָ֖ה בֶּן־ חֲכַלְיָ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י בְחֹֽדֶשׁ־ NAS: the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened KJV: the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month INT: of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah happened the month Nehemiah 10:1 2 Occurrences |