Nehemiah3
New King James Version
1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel.
2 Next to Eliashib the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
3 Also the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.
4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, made repairs. Next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok the son of Baana made repairs.
5 Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord.
6 Moreover Jehoiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors, with its bolts and bars.
7 And next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, repaired the residence of the governor of the region beyond the River.
8 Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. Also next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs; and they fortified Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.
9 And next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, leader of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs.
10 Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs in front of his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabniah made repairs.
11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hashub the son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section, as well as the Tower of the Ovens.
12 And next to him was Shallum the son of Hallohesh, leader of half the district of Jerusalem; he and his daughters made repairs.
13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They built it, hung its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Refuse Gate.
14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, leader of the district of Beth Haccerem, repaired the Refuse Gate; he built it and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.
15 Shallun the son of Col-Hozeh, leader of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate; he built it, covered it, hung its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah by the King’s Garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David.
16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, leader of half the district of Beth Zur, made repairs as far as the place in front of the tombs of David, to the man-made pool, and as far as the House of the Mighty.
17 After him the Levites, under Rehum the son of Bani, made repairs. Next to him Hashabiah, leader of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district.
18 After him their brethren, under Bavai the son of Henadad, leader of the other half of the district of Keilah, made repairs.
19 And next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the leader of Mizpah, repaired another section in front of the Ascent to the Armory at the buttress.
20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai carefully repaired the other section, from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
21 After him Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, repaired another section, from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib.
22 And after him the priests, the men of the plain, made repairs.
23 After him Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs by his house.
24 After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress, even as far as the corner.
25 Palal the son of Uzai made repairs opposite the buttress, and on the tower which projects from the king’s upper house that was by the court of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs.
26 Moreover the Nethinim who dwelt in Ophel made repairs as far as the place in front of the Water Gate toward the east, and on the projecting tower.
27 After them the Tekoites repaired another section, next to the great projecting tower, and as far as the wall of Ophel.
28 Beyond the Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house.
29 After them Zadok the son of Immer made repairs in front of his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs.
30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah made repairs in front of his dwelling.
31 After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the Nethinim and of the merchants, in front of the Miphkad Gate, and as far as the upper room at the corner.
32 And between the upper room at the corner, as far as the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs.
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Nehemiah 3Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Nehemiah 3. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.
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