Usai
Father of Hananiah, a wall builder in Jerusalem
Usai is known from the book of Nehemiah as the father of Hananiah, who participated in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. He is mentioned only briefly in the Bible, but his son played an important role in the restoration work under Nehemiah's leadership.
Family
Key events
Rebuilding of Jerusalem's Walls
Usai's son Hananiah took part in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Hananiah was a perfumer by trade and helped repair a section of the wall.
30Next to him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his living quarters.
*אחרי **אַחֲרָ֨יו הֶחֱזִ֜יק חֲנַנְיָ֣ה בֶן־שֶׁלֶמְיָ֗ה וְחָנ֧וּן בֶּן־צָלָ֛ף הַשִּׁשִּׁ֖י מִדָּ֣ה שֵׁנִ֑י ס אַחֲרָ֣יו הֶחֱזִ֗יק מְשֻׁלָּם֙ בֶּן־בֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔ה נֶ֖גֶד נִשְׁכָּתֽוֹ׃ ס
Nehemiah's Wall-Building Project
Under Nehemiah's leadership, the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt by various families and occupational groups. Usai's family was among those who contributed to this important work.
1Then Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests set to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors in place, and they consecrated the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred, all the way to the Tower of Hananel.
וַיָּ֡קָם אֶלְיָשִׁיב֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן הַגָּד֜וֹל וְאֶחָ֣יו הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים וַיִּבְנוּ֙ אֶת־שַׁ֣עַר הַצֹּ֔אן הֵ֣מָּה קִדְּשׁ֔וּהוּ וֽ͏ַיַּעֲמִ֖ידוּ דַּלְתֹתָ֑יו וְעַד־מִגְדַּ֤ל הַמֵּאָה֙ קִדְּשׁ֔וּהוּ עַ֖ד מִגְדַּ֥ל חֲנַנְאֵֽל׃ ס
2Next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to them Zaccur son of Imri.
וְעַל־יָד֥וֹ בָנ֖וּ אַנְשֵׁ֣י יְרֵח֑וֹ ס וְעַל־יָד֣וֹ בָנָ֔ה זַכּ֖וּר בֶּן־אִמְרִֽי׃ ס
3The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars in place.
וְאֵת֙ שַׁ֣עַר הַדָּגִ֔ים בָּנ֖וּ בְּנֵ֣י הַסְּנָאָ֑ה הֵ֣מָּה קֵר֔וּהוּ וֽ͏ַיַּעֲמִ֙ידוּ֙ דַּלְתֹתָ֔יו מַנְעוּלָ֖יו וּבְרִיחָֽיו׃ ס
28Above the Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house.
מֵעַ֣ל ׀ שַׁ֣עַר הַסּוּסִ֗ים הֶחֱזִ֙יקוּ֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים אִ֖ישׁ לְנֶ֥גֶד בֵּיתֽוֹ׃ ס
29Next to them Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house, and next to him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate.
אַחֲרָ֧יו הֶחֱזִ֛יק צָד֥וֹק בֶּן־אִמֵּ֖ר נֶ֣גֶד בֵּית֑וֹ ס וְאַחֲרָ֤יו הֶחֱזִיק֙ שְׁמַֽעְיָ֣ה בֶן־שְׁכַנְיָ֔ה שֹׁמֵ֖ר שַׁ֥עַר הַמִּזְרָֽח׃ ס
30Next to him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his living quarters.
*אחרי **אַחֲרָ֨יו הֶחֱזִ֜יק חֲנַנְיָ֣ה בֶן־שֶׁלֶמְיָ֗ה וְחָנ֧וּן בֶּן־צָלָ֛ף הַשִּׁשִּׁ֖י מִדָּ֣ה שֵׁנִ֑י ס אַחֲרָ֣יו הֶחֱזִ֗יק מְשֻׁלָּם֙ בֶּן־בֶּ֣רֶכְיָ֔ה נֶ֖גֶד נִשְׁכָּתֽוֹ׃ ס
Opposition to the Rebuilding
The wall builders, including Hananiah son of Usai, faced opposition from enemies such as Sanballat and Tobiah, but continued their work faithfully.
1When Sanballat and Tobiah, along with the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the men of Ashdod, heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem was moving ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious.
וַיְהִ֣י כַאֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁמַ֣ע סַנְבַלַּ֡ט וְ֠טוֹבִיָּה וְהָעַרְבִ֨ים וְהָעַמֹּנִ֜ים וְהָאַשְׁדּוֹדִ֗ים כִּֽי־עָלְתָ֤ה אֲרוּכָה֙ לְחֹמ֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם כִּי־הֵחֵ֥לּוּ הַפְּרֻצִ֖ים לְהִסָּתֵ֑ם וַיִּ֥חַר לָהֶ֖ם מְאֹֽד׃
2They all conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion.
וַיִּקְשְׁר֤וּ כֻלָּם֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו לָב֖וֹא לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְלַעֲשׂ֥וֹת ל֖וֹ תּוֹעָֽה׃
3But we prayed to our God, and because of the threat we posted a guard against them day and night.
וַנִּתְפַּלֵּ֖ל אֶל־אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַנַּעֲמִ֨יד מִשְׁמָ֧ר עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם יוֹמָ֥ם וָלַ֖יְלָה מִפְּנֵיהֶֽם׃
6Then the Jews who lived near them came and warned us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will come against us."
וַֽיְהִי֙ כַּאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣אוּ הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים אֶצְלָ֑ם וַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ לָ֙נוּ֙ עֶ֣שֶׂר פְּעָמִ֔ים מִכָּל־הַמְּקֹמ֖וֹת אֲשֶׁר־תָּשׁ֥וּבוּ עָלֵֽינוּ׃
Completion of the Wall
Despite opposition, the walls of Jerusalem were completed in 52 days, a task to which Usai's son also contributed.
15So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.
וַתִּשְׁלַם֙ הַֽחוֹמָ֔ה בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה לֶאֱל֑וּל לַחֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּשְׁנַ֖יִם יֽוֹם׃ פ
16When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid, and their confidence sank low, for they knew that this work had been accomplished by our God.
וַיְהִ֗י כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ כָּל־א֣וֹיְבֵ֔ינוּ וַיִּֽרְא֗וּ כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר סְבִֽיבֹתֵ֔ינוּ וַיִּפְּל֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד בְּעֵינֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֚י מֵאֵ֣ת אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ נֶעֶשְׂתָ֖ה הַמְּלָאכָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃