Nehemiah 3:5

5 The men of Tekoa built the next section, but the leading men of the town refused to do the manual labor assigned them by the supervisors.

Nehemiah 3:5 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 3:5

And next unto them the Tekoites repaired
The inhabitants of Tekoa, a city in the tribe of Judah; see ( Amos 1:1 )

but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord;
either of Nehemiah, as some, or rather of the lord and prince appointed over their families, as Aben Ezra, to whom they would not be subject; though it seems best, with Jarchi, to understand it of the Lord their God, by whose command this work was begun; but they refused to give any assistance to it with their purses or presence, but withdrew from it, as refractory oxen withdraw their necks from the yoke. This is observed to their disgrace, when the common people of their city were ready to work, and did.

Nehemiah 3:5 In-Context

3 The clan of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They put the beams and the gates in place, and put in the bolts and bars for locking the gate.

4 Meremoth, the son of Uriah and grandson of Hakkoz, built the next section. Meshullam, the son of Berechiah and grandson of Meshezabel, built the next section. Zadok son of Baana built the next section.

5 The men of Tekoa built the next section, but the leading men of the town refused to do the manual labor assigned them by the supervisors.

6 Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah rebuilt Jeshanah Gate. They put the beams and the gates in place, and put in the bolts and bars for locking the gate.

7 Melatiah from Gibeon, Jadon from Meronoth, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah built the next section, as far as the residence of the governor of West-of-Euphrates.