Nehemiah 3NLT
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Nehemiah3

New Living Translation

1Then Eliashib the high priest and the other priests started to rebuild at the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, building the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and the Tower of Hananel.

2People from the town of Jericho worked next to them, and beyond them was Zaccur son of Imri.

3The Fish Gate was built by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars.

4Meremoth son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz repaired the next section of wall. Beside him were Meshullam son of Berekiah and grandson of Meshezabel, and then Zadok son of Baana.

5Next were the people from Tekoa, though their leaders refused to work with the construction supervisors.

6The Old City Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid the beams, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars.

7Next to them were Melatiah from Gibeon, Jadon from Meronoth, people from Gibeon, and people from Mizpah, the headquarters of the governor of the province west of the Euphrates River.

8Next was Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a goldsmith by trade, who also worked on the wall. Beyond him was Hananiah, a manufacturer of perfumes. They left out a section of Jerusalem as they built the Broad Wall.

9Rephaiah son of Hur, the leader of half the district of Jerusalem, was next to them on the wall.

10Next Jedaiah son of Harumaph repaired the wall across from his own house, and next to him was Hattush son of Hashabneiah.

11Then came Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab, who repaired another section of the wall and the Tower of the Ovens.

12Shallum son of Hallohesh and his daughters repaired the next section. He was the leader of the other half of the district of Jerusalem.

13The Valley Gate was repaired by the people from Zanoah, led by Hanun. They set up its doors and installed its bolts and bars. They also repaired the 1,500 feet of wall to the Dung Gate.

14The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Recab, the leader of the Beth-hakkerem district. He rebuilt it, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars.

15The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallum son of Col-hozeh, the leader of the Mizpah district. He rebuilt it, roofed it, set up its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. Then he repaired the wall of the pool of Siloam near the king’s garden, and he rebuilt the wall as far as the stairs that descend from the City of David.

16Next to him was Nehemiah son of Azbuk, the leader of half the district of Beth-zur. He rebuilt the wall from a place across from the tombs of David’s family as far as the water reservoir and the House of the Warriors.

17Next to him, repairs were made by a group of Levites working under the supervision of Rehum son of Bani. Then came Hashabiah, the leader of half the district of Keilah, who supervised the building of the wall on behalf of his own district.

18Next down the line were his countrymen led by Binnui son of Henadad, the leader of the other half of the district of Keilah.

19Next to them, Ezer son of Jeshua, the leader of Mizpah, repaired another section of wall across from the ascent to the armory near the angle in the wall.

20Next to him was Baruch son of Zabbai, who zealously repaired an additional section from the angle to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.

21Meremoth son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz rebuilt another section of the wall extending from the door of Eliashib’s house to the end of the house.

22The next repairs were made by the priests from the surrounding region.

23After them, Benjamin and Hasshub repaired the section across from their house, and Azariah son of Maaseiah and grandson of Ananiah repaired the section across from his house.

24Next was Binnui son of Henadad, who rebuilt another section of the wall from Azariah’s house to the angle and the corner.

25Palal son of Uzai carried on the work from a point opposite the angle and the tower that projects up from the king’s upper house beside the court of the guard. Next to him were Pedaiah son of Parosh,

26with the Temple servants living on the hill of Ophel, who repaired the wall as far as a point across from the Water Gate to the east and the projecting tower.

27Then came the people of Tekoa, who repaired another section across from the great projecting tower and over to the wall of Ophel.

28Above the Horse Gate, the priests repaired the wall. Each one repaired the section immediately across from his own house.

29Next Zadok son of Immer also rebuilt the wall across from his own house, and beyond him was Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the gatekeeper of the East Gate.

30Next Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section, while Meshullam son of Berekiah rebuilt the wall across from where he lived.

31Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the wall as far as the housing for the Temple servants and merchants, across from the Inspection Gate. Then he continued as far as the upper room at the corner.

32The other goldsmiths and merchants repaired the wall from that corner to the Sheep Gate.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Nehemiah 3.

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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.

Cross References

Nehemiah 3
v1John 5:2allusion

The sheep gate is linked to the sheep pool called in Hebrew Bethesda.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Jeremiah 31:38fulfillment

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

v15John 9:7allusion

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

v1Nehemiah 12:39thematic

Lists the same sequence of gates, including the sheep gate and tower of Hananeel.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v3Zephaniah 1:10thematic

Prophetic mention of the noise from the fish gate during Jerusalem's judgment.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v16Acts 2:29thematic

Peter references the sepulcher of David remaining in Jerusalem to his day.

Supported by JFB

v7Joshua 9:3-27thematic

The background of the Gibeonites, now repairing the wall of the holy city.

Supported by JFB

v8Exodus 30:25thematic

Defines the compounder of holy ointment, the work of the apothecary.

Supported by JFB

v15Isaiah 8:6thematic

Prophetic imagery referencing the softly flowing waters of Shiloah.

Supported by JFB

v25Jeremiah 32:2thematic

Mentions the court of the prison which was in the king of Judah's house.

Supported by JFB

v2Ezra 2:34thematic

Identifies the men of Jericho returning under Zerubbabel, who now rebuild here.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v5Jeremiah 5:5contrast

Contrast of nobles refusing the yoke, like the Tekoite nobles' refusal.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v26Ezra 2:43-58thematic

Defines the Nethinim as temple servants who dwelt in Ophel.

Supported by JFB