Original Word: חֲכַלְיָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Chakalyah
Pronunciation: khak-al-yaw'
Phonetic Spelling: (khak-al-yaw')
KJV: Hachaliah
NASB: Hacaliah
Word Origin: [from the base of H2447 (חַכלִיל - dull) and H3050 (יָהּ - LORD)]

1. darkness of Jah
2. Chakaljah, an Israelite

Hachaliah

From the base of chakliyl and Yahh; darkness of Jah; Chakaljah, an Israelite -- Hachaliah.

see HEBREW chakliyl

see HEBREW Yahh

Word Origin
perhaps from the same as Chakilah and from Yah
Definition
perhaps "wait for Yah," father of Nehemiah
NASB Translation
Hacaliah (2).

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, ᵐ5^L Χελκιας(ου), א; A Αχαλια; Nehemiah 10:2 ᵐ5 Αχελια, A ᵐ5^L Αχαλια.

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).
2. Hanani, who brought the distressing report of Jerusalem’s condition (Nehemiah 1:2) and was later appointed over Jerusalem (Nehemiah 7:2).
3. One more brother is implied in Nehemiah 3:30 (“Meshullam son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel, made repairs next to his dwelling, and beyond him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun sixth son of Zalaph”); however, the text is not explicit.

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.
2. Covenant Continuity. The mention of Hacaliah in Nehemiah 10:1, where the community seals its renewed covenant, highlights the continuity between generations: the father’s name stands beside the son’s as the nation recommits to Torah obedience.
3. Divine Providence. By situating Nehemiah within a real family, the narrative underscores God’s providential orchestration of history through ordinary households.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Parents play a vital, though sometimes hidden, role in shaping leaders for God’s work.
• Faith transmitted in exile or diaspora can bear fruit generations later.
• Naming and remembering forebears fosters accountability and gratitude in spiritual communities.

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.
• The brief genealogical notices in Ezra-Nehemiah function similarly to those in Chronicles, anchoring the returned community in a continuous line of faith.

See Also

Nehemiah; Hanani; Genealogies in Ezra-Nehemiah; Post-Exilic Restoration

חֲכַלְיָ֑ה חֲכַלְיָ֖ה חכליה chachalYah ḥă·ḵal·yāh ḥăḵalyāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts