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Hanniel

Old TestamentEgypt & WildernessMaleLeader

Hanniel, the son of Ephod, was the leader of the tribe of Manasseh during the allotment of the Promised Land.

Hanniel illustration
Hanniel

Biography

Hanniel son of Ephod was the appointed leader of the tribe of Manasseh selected to assist in the distribution of Canaan among the Israelite tribes following the conquest under Joshua. He is named in Numbers 34:23 as one of twelve tribal representatives, one from each tribe, commissioned by God through Moses to oversee the formal allotment of the Promised Land. This body of leaders worked alongside Joshua and the priest Eleazar to divide the territory according to divine instructions, ensuring that each tribe received its God-ordained inheritance. The name Hanniel means grace of God or God has shown favor, which may reflect the family's religious heritage within the tribe of Manasseh.

Significance

Though Hanniel appears only once in Scripture, his role is far from incidental. As a tribal commissioner for the land allotment, he participated in one of the most theologically significant acts of the entire Mosaic era: the fulfillment of God's covenant promise to give Abraham's descendants a land of their own (Genesis 12:7; 15:18-21). The structured, representative distribution of Canaan demonstrated that the inheritance was not seized arbitrarily but granted by divine provision. Hanniel's inclusion reflects God's care that every tribe, including the divided half-tribe of Manasseh, received its rightful share. His story affirms that ordinary leaders play indispensable roles in the outworking of God's covenant faithfulness.

Verse Appearances (1)

References

  1. Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
  2. Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
  3. Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
  4. Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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