That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
My brother Hanani came to visit me, along with some other men from Judah. I asked them about the Jewish people who had survived and returned from exile, and I also asked them about the condition of Jerusalem.
Nehemiah is asking his brother and other visitors for news about the Jewish survivors who had returned to Jerusalem and about the city's current condition.
📚 Historical Context
In the 5th century BC, the Jewish people had been exiled from Jerusalem due to their disobedience to God, and many were living in Persia under the rule of King Artaxerxes, far from their homeland. Nehemiah, a Jewish official serving as the king's cupbearer, receives a visit from his brother Hanani and other men from Judah, who bring updates about the survivors of the exile and the condition of Jerusalem. This encounter highlights the ongoing struggles of the Jewish community as they attempted to rebuild their lives after years of captivity.
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