Nehemiah3
New American Standard
1Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and installed its doors. They consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel.
2And next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
3Now the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and installed its doors with its bolts and bars.
4Next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz made repairs. And next to him Meshullam the son of Berechiah the son of Meshezabel made repairs. And next to him Zadok the son of Baana also made repairs.
5Moreover, next to him the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not support the work of their masters.
6Now Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Ancient Gate; they laid its beams and installed its doors with its bolts and its bars.
7Next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, also made repairs for the official seat of the governor of the province beyond the Euphrates River.
8Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah of the goldsmiths made repairs. And next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.
9And next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs.
10Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs.
11Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of Furnaces.
12Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters.
13Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They built it and installed its doors with its bolts and its bars, and a thousand cubits of the wall to the Dung Gate.
14And Malchijah the son of Rechab, the official of the district of Beth-haccherem repaired the Dung Gate. He built it and installed its doors with its bolts and its bars.
15Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, the official of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He built it, made a roof for it, and installed its doors with its bolts and its bars, and the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the king’s garden as far as the steps that descend from the city of David.
16After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, official of half the district of Beth-zur, made repairs as far as a point opposite the tombs of David, and as far as the artificial pool and the house of the mighty men.
17After him the Levites carried out repairs under Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, the official of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district.
18After him their brothers carried out repairs under Bavvai the son of Henadad, official of the other half of the district of Keilah.
19And next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the official of Mizpah, repaired another section in front of the ascent of the armory at the Angle.
20After him Baruch the son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the Angle to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
21After him Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz repaired another section, from the doorway of Eliashib’s house even as far as the end of his house.
22And after him the priests, the men of the vicinity, carried out repairs.
23After them Benjamin and Hasshub carried out repairs in front of their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, carried out repairs beside his house.
24After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah as far as the Angle and as far as the corner.
25Palal the son of Uzai made repairs in front of the Angle and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king, which is by the courtyard of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs.
26Now the temple servants living in Ophel made repairs as far as the front of the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower.
27After them the Tekoites repaired another section in front of the great projecting tower and as far as the wall of Ophel.
28Above the Horse Gate the priests carried out repairs, each in front of his house.
29After them Zadok the son of Immer carried out repairs in front of his house. And after him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, carried out repairs.
30After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah carried out repairs in front of his own quarters.
31After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, carried out repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, in front of the Inspection Gate and as far as the upper room of the corner.
32And between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants carried out repairs.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Nehemiah 3.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. (1-32).
vv1-32
The work was divided, so that every one might know what he had to do, and mind it, with a desire to excel; yet without contention, or separate interests. No strife appears among them, but which should do most for the public good. Every Israelite should lend a hand toward the building up of Jerusalem. Let not nobles think any thing below them, by which they may advance the good of their country. Even some females helped forward the work. Some repaired over against their houses, and one repaired over against his chamber. When a general good work is to be done, each should apply himself to that part which is within his reach. If every one will sweep before his own door, the street will be clean; if every one will mend one, we shall all be mended. Some that had first done helped their fellows. The walls of Jerusalem, in heaps of rubbish, represent the desperate state of the world around, while the number and malice of those who hindered the building, give some faint idea of the enemies we have to contend with, while executing the work of God. Every one must begin at home; for it is by getting the work of God advanced in our own souls that we shall best contribute to the good of the church of Christ. May the Lord thus stir up the hearts of his people, to lay aside their petty disputes, and to disregard their worldly interests, compared with building the walls of Jerusalem, and defending the cause of truth and godliness against the assaults of avowed enemies.
Key Words
אֶלְיָשִׁיב: Eljashib, the name of six Israelites
גָּדוֹל: great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent
כֹּהֵן: literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
קוּם: to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
אָח: a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like father))
בָּנָה: to build (literally and figuratively)
צֹאן: a collective name for a flock (of sheep or goats); also figuratively (of men)
שַׁעַר: an opening, i.e. door or gate
קָדַשׁ: to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally)
עָמַד: to stand, in various relations (literal and figurative, intransitive and transitive)
Cross References
Nehemiah 3The sheep gate is linked to the sheep pool called in Hebrew Bethesda.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Prophecy of rebuilding Jerusalem from the tower of Hananeel unto the corner gate.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Historical reference to Manasseh building the outer wall and the fish gate.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Siloah is the same pool of Siloam, meaning Sent, mentioned by John.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The principle of dedicating or sanctifying new buildings and houses to God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Lists the same sequence of gates, including the sheep gate and tower of Hananeel.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophetic mention of the noise from the fish gate during Jerusalem's judgment.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Peter references the sepulcher of David remaining in Jerusalem to his day.
Supported by JFB
The background of the Gibeonites, now repairing the wall of the holy city.
Supported by JFB
Defines the compounder of holy ointment, the work of the apothecary.
Supported by JFB
Prophetic imagery referencing the softly flowing waters of Shiloah.
Supported by JFB
Mentions the court of the prison which was in the king of Judah's house.
Supported by JFB
Identifies the men of Jericho returning under Zerubbabel, who now rebuild here.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrast of nobles refusing the yoke, like the Tekoite nobles' refusal.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Defines the Nethinim as temple servants who dwelt in Ophel.
Supported by JFB