Who was Henadad in the Bible?

Henadad was a Levite, the son of Binnui, who helped rebuild the wall of Jerusalem under Nehemiah's leadership. He is specifically mentioned as repairing a section of the wall next to his fellow Levites (Nehemiah 3:18).

What did Henadad do in the book of Nehemiah?

Henadad's key action was taking responsibility for repairing a portion of Jerusalem's wall. This work was part of the communal effort to restore the city's defenses and honor after the exile (Nehemiah 3:18).

Why is Henadad's role in Nehemiah 3 significant?

Henadad's participation shows that the Levites, typically focused on temple service, also contributed to the physical labor of rebuilding. It highlights the unity and shared commitment of all the people in restoring Jerusalem.

Henadad

Old TestamentExile & ReturnMaleLeviteSon

Henadad, son of Binnui, was a Levite who repaired a section of the wall of Jerusalem. (Neh.3.18)

Henadad

Biography

Henadad son of Binnui was a Levite who participated in Nehemiah's wall-rebuilding project, assigned to repair a section of Jerusalem's fortifications (Nehemiah 3:18). The wall-rebuilding account in Nehemiah 3 is remarkable for its meticulous recording of individual workers and family groups, each assigned to sections adjacent to their own homes or community interests. That a Levite like Henadad son of Binnui engaged in physical construction alongside merchants, priests, and officials reflects the communal spirit of the Nehemiah project, no role was beneath the dignity of God's servants when the restoration of Jerusalem was at stake. His son Bavvai is also mentioned in Nehemiah 3:18 as repairing an adjacent section, indicating a household that invested itself collectively in the repair of the city's defenses, embodying the family solidarity that characterized the best of Nehemiah's rebuilding community.

Significance

Henadad son of Binnui's contribution to Nehemiah's wall project (Nehemiah 3:18) illustrates the biblical principle that faithful service takes many forms, including unglamorous physical labor. The Levitical calling was primarily liturgical, yet this Levite took up tools alongside his neighbors to rebuild the city's defenses. This reflects Nehemiah's vision of a restored Jerusalem as an integrated whole: worship and security, priestly service and civic duty, inseparable from one another. The wall-rebuilding narrative suggests that the restoration of a covenant community requires every member's active participation regardless of status or role, a principle echoed in the New Testament's vision of every member building up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:16).

Verse Appearances (1)

Nehemiah

Nehemiah 3:18

References

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

View all sources & licensing →

See our editorial standards →

Content compiled from public domain scholarship, academic sources, and verified references. Editorial standards · View all sources