Bani

Bani is a name borne by several distinct figures across the Hebrew scriptures, ranging from one of David's warriors to a family head among the post-exilic returnees and a recurring Levite in the Jerusalem restoration. The name surfaces both as a personal designation and as the head of a clan whose sons are counted among those who came back from Babylon.

Bani the Gadite

In the roster of David's mighty men, Bani appears as a Gadite warrior listed near the end of the catalogue: "Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite," (2Sa 23:36). The notice fixes him to the tribe of Gad and to the company of David's elite fighters, but offers nothing further about his deeds.

A Merarite Levite

A second Bani belongs to the Levitical line of Merari, embedded in the genealogy that traces back to the temple-singer Ethan: "the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shemer," (1Ch 6:46). Here Bani is a link in the ancestry of those Levites set apart for the service of song.

A Judahite of the Line of Perez

A third Bani is found in the Judahite genealogy of those who resettled Jerusalem after the exile, listed among the descendants of Perez: "Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the sons of Perez the son of Judah." (1Ch 9:4). His mention places the Bani-line within the Judahite contribution to the repopulation of the city.

Father of a Returned-Exile Clan

A fourth Bani is the head of a substantial family among those who returned from Babylon under Zerubbabel. The Ezra census records the count plainly: "The sons of Bani, six hundred forty and two." (Ezr 2:10). When Ezra later confronts the men who had taken foreign wives, the sons of Bani are conspicuous, and several are named: "And of the sons of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub, and Sheal, Jeremoth." (Ezr 10:29).

The parallel return-roster in Nehemiah lists the same family under the name Binnui: "The sons of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight." (Ne 7:15). The two registers cover the same clan with a slight variation in the head's name and in the count.

A Levite of the Restoration

A fifth Bani is a Levite who appears repeatedly in the work of rebuilding and reordering Jerusalem under Nehemiah and Ezra. He stands behind Rehum the wall-builder: "After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, for his district." (Ne 3:17).

He is among the Levites who interpreted the law to the assembly when Ezra read it aloud: "Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people [stood] in their place." (Ne 8:7).

When the people fasted and confessed, Bani was among the Levites who led the cry to Yahweh from the stairs and who afterward summoned the congregation to praise: "Then stood up on the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, [and] Chenani, and cried with a loud voice to Yahweh their God." (Ne 9:4). The verse names two Banis standing together. The next verse renews the call: "Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, [and] Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless Yahweh your⁺ God from everlasting to everlasting; and let them bless your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." (Ne 9:5).

When the community sealed its covenant, Bani's name is among the Levitical signatories: "Hodiah, Bani, Beninu." (Ne 10:13). And the family continues into the line of those entrusted with oversight of the sanctuary's service, where Bani is grandfather of the Levitical overseer: "The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, over the business of the house of God." (Ne 11:22).

Across these notices, the Levites named Bani belong to the generation that rebuilds the wall, expounds the law, leads public worship, signs the covenant, and supervises the temple service in restored Jerusalem.