CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Nehemiah 3
Chapter 3 of 13
Chapter Overview
What happens in Nehemiah 3
This chapter lists the families and groups who rebuilt different sections of Jerusalem's wall. Everyone from priests to goldsmiths to perfume makers worked side by side. Many people repaired the wall right next to their own homes.
Scripture
Nehemiah 3
Rebuilding the North Wall
Study note
The rebuilding started at the Sheep Gate in the northeast corner, where animals for temple sacrifices entered the city. Eliashib the high priest led the priests in this work, showing that even religious leaders did physical labor. The men of Tekoa helped repair the wall, but their leaders refused to do the hard work. This detail shows that not everyone was willing to serve.
1 High Priest Eliashib and his fellow priests took charge of rebuilding the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and installed its doors. They also rebuilt the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel, dedicating those sections as well. Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.
2 Men from Jericho worked on the next section. Zaccur son of Imri built the section beside them. And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.
3 The sons of Hassenaah rebuilt the Fish Gate. They set the beams in place and hung the doors with their locks and bars. But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
4 Meremoth son of Urijah (grandson of Koz) repaired the next section. Meshullam son of Berechiah (grandson of Meshezabeel) worked beside him. Zadok son of Baana repaired the section after that. And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana.
5 The people of Tekoa worked on the next section. But their leading men refused to do any of the hard work for the Lord. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.
Rebuilding the West Wall
Study note
Many different groups repaired sections of the wall, including people from other towns like Gibeon and Mizpah. Goldsmiths and perfume makers also helped, even though construction was not their usual work. Shallum's daughters are mentioned as helping with repairs, which was unusual for that time. This list shows that the whole community came together for this project.
6 Jehoiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah rebuilt the Old Gate. They set its beams, hung its doors, and installed the locks and bars. Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
7 Melatiah from Gibeon and Jadon from Meronoth worked on the next part. These were men from Gibeon and Mizpah who answered to the governor west of the Euphrates. And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, unto the throne of the governor on this side the river.
8 Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a goldsmith, repaired the section beside them. Hananiah, a perfume maker, worked next. Together they reinforced Jerusalem's wall as far as the Broad Wall. Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.
9 Rephaiah son of Hur, who governed half the Jerusalem district, worked on the next section. And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem.
10 Jedaiah son of Harumaph repaired the stretch right across from his own house. Hattush son of Hashabniah worked beside him. And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even over against his house. And next unto him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah.
11 Malchijah son of Harim and Hashub son of Pahath-moab rebuilt another section. This included the Tower of the Ovens. Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces.
12 Shallum son of Halohesh, who governed the other half of the Jerusalem district, worked on the next part. He and his daughters pitched in together. And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.
Rebuilding the South Wall
Study note
The southern section included the Valley Gate, the Dung Gate, and the Fountain Gate. The rulers of various districts each took responsibility for a section near their area. Many workers rebuilt the wall right next to their own houses, which gave them a personal reason to do good work. The pool of Siloah, also called Siloam, provided water to the city.
13 Hanun and the residents of Zanoah tackled the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it, hung the doors, and put in the locks and bars. They also repaired about 1,500 feet of wall, reaching all the way to the Dung Gate. The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung gate.
14 Malchiah son of Rechab, who governed part of the Beth-haccerem district, rebuilt the Dung Gate. He put it back together and installed its doors, locks, and bars. But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Beth-haccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
15 Shallun son of Col-hozeh, the leader of part of the Mizpah district, rebuilt the Fountain Gate. He reconstructed it, roofed it over, and hung the doors with locks and bars. He also repaired the wall along the Pool of Siloam near the king's garden, reaching to the stairway that comes down from the City of David. But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Col-hozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David.
16 Nehemiah son of Azbuk led half of Beth-zur's area. He fixed the wall from near David's tombs to the man-made pool and on to the House of the Warriors. After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Beth-zur, unto the place over against the sepulchres of David, and to the pool that was made, and unto the house of the mighty.
17 After him, Levites carried out repairs. Rehum son of Bani handled his section. Hashabiah, the leader of half the Keilah district, repaired the section assigned to his district. After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his part.
18 Their fellow Levites continued the work. Bavai son of Henadad, who led the other half of the Keilah district, managed their section. After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah.
19 Ezer son of Jeshua, the leader of Mizpah, repaired the next stretch. It sat across from the weapons storage area at the wall's corner. And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the turning of the wall.
20 Baruch son of Zabbai threw himself into the work on the next section with incredible energy. His stretch ran from the corner to the entrance of High Priest Eliashib's home. After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired the other piece, from the turning of the wall unto the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
21 Meremoth son of Urijah (grandson of Koz) repaired the section from the entrance of Eliashib's home to its far end. After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah the son of Koz another piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib.
Rebuilding the East Wall
Study note
The eastern wall ran along the steep Kidron Valley. Priests who lived on the plain east of Jerusalem repaired the section near their homes. Temple servants lived in the area called Ophel, on the hill south of the temple. The circuit of repairs ended back at the Sheep Gate where it began, showing that the entire wall was covered without any gaps.
22 After him, priests from the surrounding flatlands made repairs. And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain.
23 Benjamin and Hashub repaired the stretch directly across from their own house. Azariah son of Maaseiah (grandson of Ananiah) worked on the section next to his house. After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over against their house. After him repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah by his house.
24 Binnui son of Henadad repaired the stretch from Azariah's house to the corner of the wall. After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another piece, from the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall, even unto the corner.
25 Palal son of Uzai worked on the section across from the wall's corner and the tower jutting out from the upper part of the king's palace, near the prison yard. Pedaiah son of Parosh handled the next part. Palal the son of Uzai, over against the turning of the wall, and the tower which lieth out from the king's high house, that was by the court of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh.
26 Temple workers on the hill of Ophel fixed the part going east. They worked to the Water Gate and the tower that sticks out. Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out.
27 After them, the people of Tekoa repaired another section. It went from the area across from the large tower that sticks out, all the way to the wall of Ophel. After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over against the great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel.
28 Above the Horse Gate, each priest fixed the part of the wall right across from his own home. From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house.
29 Zadok son of Immer repaired the section facing his house. Shemaiah son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, worked on the next part. After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate.
30 Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun (the sixth son of Zalaph) repaired another section. Meshullam son of Berechiah worked on the part across from his own living quarters. After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber.
31 Malchiah was a goldsmith. He fixed the wall to the temple workers' quarters and the market area. This was near the Inspection Gate, up to the upper corner room. After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner.
32 The goldsmiths and merchants together fixed the last stretch. It went from the upper corner room to the Sheep Gate. And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.
Key Themes
Themes in Nehemiah 3
Everyone has a section of the wall to buildCommunity effort accomplishes what individuals cannotWorking side by side creates unitySome refuse to serve while others go above and beyond
Apply This Today
Living Nehemiah 3
Priests, perfume makers, goldsmiths, and merchants all built sections of the wall. God's work requires every kind of person using every kind of skill. Find your section of the wall — the specific place where God has called you to serve — and build faithfully.
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