Nehemiah 3

Rebuilding the gates and walls

1 Then Eliashib the high priest set to work with his fellow priests and built^[a] the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set up its doors, then dedicated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred and as far as the Tower of Hananel.

2 The people of Jericho built next to them, and Zaccur, Imri's son, built next to them.

3 The children of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, bolts, and bars.

4 Next to them Meremoth, Uriah's son and Hakkoz's grandson, made repairs. Meshullam, Berechiah's son and Meshezabel's grandson, made repairs next to them, and Zadok, Baana's son, made repairs next to them.

5 Next to them the people from Tekoa made repairs, but their officials wouldn't help with the work^[b] of their supervisors.^[c]

6 Joiada, Paseah's son, and Meshullam, Besodeiah's son, repaired the Mishneh Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, bolts, and bars.

7 Next to them repairs were made by Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the people of Gibeon and of Mizpah, who were ruled by the governor of the province Beyond the River.

8 Uzziel, Harhaiah's son, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs next to them; and Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs next to him. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.

9 Next to them Rephaiah, Hur's son, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs.

10 Next to them Jedaiah, Harumaph's son, made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush, Hashabneiah's son, made repairs next to him.

11 Malchijah, Harim's son, and Hasshub, Pahath-moab's son, repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens.

12 Next to them Shallum, Hallohesh's son, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, along with his daughters.

13 Hanun and the people of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate; they built it and set up its doors, bolts, and bars. They also repaired fifteen hundred feet of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate.

14 Malchiah, Rechab's son, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and set up its doors, bolts, and bars.

15 And Shallum, Col-hozeh's son, ruler of the Mizpah district, repaired the Spring Gate. He rebuilt and covered it, and set up its doors, bolts, and bars. He also built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the King's Garden, as far as the stairs that go down from David's City.

16 After him, Nehemiah, Azbuk's son, ruler of half the Beth-zur district, repaired from the point opposite David's tombs as far as the artificial pool and the Warriors' House.

17 After him, the Levites made repairs: Rehum, Bani's son, and next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district.

18 After him, their relatives made repairs: Binnui, Henadad's son, ruler of half the district of Keilah.

19 Next to him, Ezer, Jeshua's son, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory at the Angle.

20 After him, Baruch, Zabbai's son, thoroughly repaired another section from the Angle to the door of the house of the high priest Eliashib.

21 After him, Meremoth, Uriah's son and Hakkoz's grandson, repaired another section from the door to the back of Eliashib's house.

22 After him, the priests from the surrounding area made repairs.

23 After them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. After them, Azariah, Maaseiah's son and Ananiah's grandson, repaired beside his house.

24 After him, Binnui, Henadad's son, repaired another section from the house of Azariah to the Angle and to the corner.

25 Palal, Uzai's son, repaired from the point opposite the Angle and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at the court of the guard. After him, Pedaiah, Parosh's son,

26 and the temple servants living on Ophel made repairs up to the point opposite the Water Gate to the east and the projecting tower.

27 After them, the people of Tekoa repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel.

28 From the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each one opposite his own house.

29 After them, Zadok, Immer's son, made repairs opposite his own house. After him, Shemaiah, Shecaniah's son, the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs.

30 After him, Hananiah, Shelemiah's son, and Hanun, Zalaph's sixth son, repaired another section. After them, Meshullam, Berechiah's son, made repairs opposite his own room.

31 After him, Malchiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Parade Gate, and as far as the upper room at the corner.

32 And between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs.

Nehemiah 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

- 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or rebuilt
• [b]. Or didn’t bring their neck into the service of
• [c]. Or LORD
• [d]. Or Old Gate
• [e]. Syr; Heb lacks and.
• [f]. Lxx, Syr; Heb Bvvai
• [g]. Heb lacks repaired.
• [h]. Heb lacks made repairs.
• [i]. Or Hammiphkad Gate

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 3

This chapter contains the names of the builders of the wall of Jerusalem, the order in which they worked, where they began, and where they ended, which was the sheep gate, Ne 3:1-32.