Anani
Descendant of David in the post-exilic period
In the Davidic genealogy in 1 Chronicles, Anani is listed as the youngest of Eljoenai's seven sons and the last person named in the royal lineage from David. Through Solomon and Zerubbabel, he belonged to the line that carried forward the covenant promise of an eternal kingdom. The fact that the genealogy ends with his name makes him a key figure for dating the books of Chronicles and for understanding questions about Davidic messianic expectations in the post-exilic Jewish community. The name Anani may mean "the Lord has answered" or be connected to the Aramaic word for "cloud," which has given rise to speculation about links to prophetic descriptions of a coming heavenly figure. The careful preservation of this lineage through generations testifies to a deep conviction that God's promise to David remained valid, even in a time without royal power in Israel.
Family
Key events
Listed in David's genealogy
Anani is mentioned as the last of the seven sons of Eljoenai in the Davidic genealogy. His placement at the very end of the genealogy makes him the last known named individual in David's royal line as presented in the Old Testament.
The Davidic lineage from Zerubbabel to Anani
Anani belongs to the last known generation of the royal Davidic line continued from Zerubbabel after the Babylonian exile. The fact that the author of Chronicles extends this genealogy so far forward in time testifies to a deliberate theological intention to document God's faithfulness to the covenant promise made to David.