Bible Commentaries
Nehemiah 3

Introduction

Overview

Nehemiah 3:1, The names and order of them that built the wall.

Verse 1

Eliashib: Nehemiah 12:10, Nehemiah 13:28

the sheep gate: This gate is supposed to have immediately communicated with the temple, and to have been called the sheep gate, because the sheep intended for sacrifice passed through it. But, after all which learned men have written on this subject, which is but of little interest, we scarcely know anything about these gates: what they were, why called by these names, or in what part of the wall they were situated, beyond what may be learned from the parallel passages. Nehemiah 12:39, John 5:2

sanctified it: Nehemiah 12:30, Deuteronomy 20:5, Psalms 30:1, *title Proverbs 3:6, Proverbs 3:9

the tower: Nehemiah 12:39, Jeremiah 31:38, Zechariah 14:10

Reciprocal: Numbers 21:18 - princes Ezra 10:6 - Johanan Nehemiah 2:8 - the wall Nehemiah 3:20 - Eliashib Nehemiah 3:32 - the sheep gate Nehemiah 6:1 - at that time Nehemiah 7:1 - the wall Psalms 147:2 - build Psalms 147:13 - he hath Ecclesiastes 9:10 - thy hand Isaiah 44:26 - and I will Jeremiah 30:18 - the city Daniel 9:25 - from Micah 7:11 - the day

Verse 2

next unto him: Heb. at his hand

the men: Nehemiah 7:36, Ezra 2:34

Zaccur: Nehemiah 10:12

Verse 3

the fish gate: Nehemiah 12:39, 2 Chronicles 33:14, Zephaniah 1:10

the beams: Nehemiah 3:6, Nehemiah 2:8

the doors: Nehemiah 6:1, Nehemiah 7:1

Verse 4

Meremoth: Nehemiah 3:21, Nehemiah 10:15

Urijah: Ezra 8:33, Uriah

Meshullam: Nehemiah 10:7

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 3:30 - Meshullam Nehemiah 6:18 - Meshullam Nehemiah 10:5 - Meremoth Nehemiah 10:21 - Meshezabeel

Verse 5

the Tekoites: Nehemiah 3:27, 2 Samuel 14:2, Amos 1:1

their nobles: Judges 5:23, Jeremiah 5:4, Jeremiah 5:5, 1 Corinthians 1:26, 1 Timothy 6:17, 1 Timothy 6:18

put not: Jeremiah 27:2, Jeremiah 27:8, Jeremiah 27:12, Jeremiah 30:8, Jeremiah 30:9, Matthew 11:29, Acts 15:10

Reciprocal: Numbers 21:18 - princes 2 Chronicles 11:6 - Tekoa Nehemiah 6:17 - the nobles

Verse 6

Nehemiah 12:39

Reciprocal: Ezra 10:15 - Meshullam Nehemiah 3:3 - the beams Nehemiah 6:1 - at that time Nehemiah 10:7 - Meshullam

Verse 7

the Gibeonite: Joshua 9:3-27, 2 Samuel 21:2

Mizpah: Nehemiah 3:19, 2 Chronicles 16:6

the throne: That is, probably, the palace of the Persian governor, west of the Euphrates; the term throne being used to signify any royal abode: for Sir J. Chardin, describing a splendid tent erected by the king of Persia, says "that there was an inscription wrought upon the cornice of the anti-chamber, which gave it the appellation of the throne of the second Solomon." Sitting upon a throne has, however, sometimes been granted to governors. Nehemiah 2:8

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 3:15 - Mizpah

Verse 8

the goldsmiths: Nehemiah 3:31, Nehemiah 3:32, Isaiah 46:6

of the apothecaries: Genesis 50:2, Exodus 30:25, Ecclesiastes 10:1

fortified: or, left

the broad wall: Nehemiah 12:38

Verse 9

the ruler: Nehemiah 3:12, Nehemiah 3:17

Reciprocal: Numbers 7:84 - the princes Nehemiah 3:14 - the ruler Nehemiah 3:15 - the ruler Nehemiah 3:16 - the ruler Nehemiah 7:43 - Hodevah

Verse 10

even: Nehemiah 3:23, Nehemiah 3:28-30

Hattush: Nehemiah 10:4

Verse 11

Harim: Nehemiah 10:5

Pahathmoab: Nehemiah 7:11, Nehemiah 10:14, Ezra 2:6, Ezra 8:4

other piece: Heb. second measure

the tower: Nehemiah 12:38

Reciprocal: Ezra 10:31 - Malchiah Nehemiah 3:24 - another piece Nehemiah 10:3 - Malchijah

Verse 12

the ruler: Nehemiah 3:9, Nehemiah 3:14-18

he and his daughters: Exodus 35:25, Acts 21:8, Acts 21:9, Philippians 4:3

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 3:15 - the ruler Nehemiah 3:16 - the ruler

Verse 13

the valley gate: Nehemiah 2:13

Zanoah: There were two towns of the name of Zanoah in the tribe of Judah. See the parallel passages. Nehemiah 11:30, Joshua 15:34, Joshua 15:56, 1 Chronicles 4:18

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 26:9 - the valley gate Nehemiah 12:31 - dung gate

Verse 14

the dung gate: Nehemiah 2:13, Nehemiah 12:31

the ruler: Nehemiah 3:9, Nehemiah 3:12, Nehemiah 3:15-18

Bethhaccerem: Beth-haccerem was a town of Judah, situated on a mountain, between Jerusalem and Tekoa, according to Jerome on Jer. 6. Dr. Pococke conjectures that the Mountain of the Franks, called also the Mount of Bethulia, from a village of that name near it, west-north-west of Tekoa, is the ancient Beth-haccerem; the position of which seems to agree with the citadel of Herodium, built by Herod, on a moderate-sized hill, sixty furlongs from Jerusalem. Jeremiah 6:1

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 3:16 - the ruler

Verse 15

the gate: Nehemiah 2:14, Nehemiah 12:37, 2 Chronicles 32:30

the ruler: Nehemiah 3:9, Nehemiah 3:12, Nehemiah 3:14

Mizpah: Nehemiah 3:7, Judges 20:1, Judges 20:3, Mizpeh, Jeremiah 40:6

Siloah: Siloah was situated under the eastern wall of Jerusalem, between that city and the brook Kedron, and is described by Chateaubriand as lying at the foot of Mount Zion. Dr. Richardson represents the pool of Siloam as occurring higher up the valley of Jehoshaphat, towards the north, than the well of Nehemiah, a little beyond the village of Siloa, and nearly opposite the tombs of Jehoshaphat and Zechariah. Isaiah 8:6, Shiloah, Luke 13:4, John 9:7, Siloam

the stairs: 2 Samuel 5:6, 2 Samuel 5:7

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 9:13 - on the top Nehemiah 3:19 - Mizpah Nehemiah 11:5 - Colhozeh

Verse 16

the ruler: Nehemiah 3:9, Nehemiah 3:12, Nehemiah 3:14

Bethzur: Joshua 15:58, 1 Chronicles 2:45, 2 Chronicles 11:7

the sepulchres: 2 Chronicles 16:14, Acts 2:29

the pool: 2 Kings 20:20, Isaiah 7:3, Isaiah 22:11

the house: 1 Kings 14:27, 1 Kings 14:28, 2 Chronicles 12:10, 2 Chronicles 12:11, Song of Solomon 3:7

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 3:17 - the ruler Nehemiah 12:37 - the fountain gate

Verse 17

the ruler: Nehemiah 3:16, 1 Chronicles 23:4

Keilah: Joshua 15:44, 1 Samuel 23:1, 1 Samuel 23:2-13

Reciprocal: Ezra 8:19 - Hashabiah Nehemiah 3:9 - the ruler Nehemiah 8:7 - Bani Nehemiah 10:25 - General Nehemiah 11:22 - Bani Ezekiel 31:17 - that were

Verse 18

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 23:1 - Keilah Nehemiah 10:9 - Henadad Ezekiel 31:17 - that were

Verse 19

Jeshua: Nehemiah 10:9, Nehemiah 12:8

Mizpah: Nehemiah 3:15

the turning: 2 Chronicles 26:9

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 3:7 - Mizpah Nehemiah 3:24 - another piece Nehemiah 8:7 - Jeshua Song of Solomon 4:4 - an armoury

Verse 20

Zabbai: or, Zaccai

earnestly: Ecclesiastes 9:10, Romans 12:11

Eliashib: Nehemiah 3:1, Nehemiah 3:21, Nehemiah 12:22, Nehemiah 12:23, Nehemiah 13:4, Nehemiah 13:28

Reciprocal: Exodus 6:22 - General 2 Chronicles 26:9 - the turning Ezra 10:6 - Johanan Nehemiah 3:24 - the turning Nehemiah 10:6 - Baruch

Verse 21

Meremoth: Nehemiah 3:4

Koz: Nehemiah 7:63, Ezra 2:61

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 3:20 - Eliashib Nehemiah 3:30 - another piece Nehemiah 10:5 - Meremoth

Verse 22

the men of the plain: Nehemiah 6:2, Nehemiah 12:28

Verse 23

over against: Nehemiah 3:10, Nehemiah 3:29, Nehemiah 3:30

Azariah: Nehemiah 10:2

Maaseiah: Nehemiah 8:4, Nehemiah 8:7

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 3:28 - every one Nehemiah 7:3 - every one to be

Verse 24

Binnui: Nehemiah 10:9

another piece: That which had been left by Azariah, after he had repaired the wall by his own house. It is probable that some of the principal people were either obliged, or voluntarily offered, to repair those parts of the wall which were opposite, or adjacent, to their own houses. The names of those who repaired the walls are commemorated, because it was an undertaking of piety, virtue, and courage, to restore the holy city. Nehemiah 3:11, Nehemiah 3:19, Nehemiah 3:27

the turning: Nehemiah 3:20

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 26:9 - the turning

Verse 25

the king's: Jeremiah 22:14, Jeremiah 39:8

by the court: Nehemiah 12:39, Jeremiah 32:2, Jeremiah 33:1, Jeremiah 37:21, Jeremiah 39:15

Pedaiah: Nehemiah 8:4

Parosh: Nehemiah 7:8, Ezra 2:3

Verse 26

Nethinims: Nehemiah 7:46-56, Nehemiah 10:28, 1 Chronicles 9:2, Ezra 2:43-58

dwelt: etc. or, which dwelt in Ophel, repaired unto

Ophel: or, the tower. Nehemiah 3:27, Nehemiah 11:21, 2 Chronicles 27:3, 2 Chronicles 33:14

the water: The water gate is supposed to have been that by which the Nethinim brought in water for the use of the temple. Nehemiah 8:1, Nehemiah 8:3, Nehemiah 12:37

Reciprocal: Ezra 2:58 - Nethinims Nehemiah 8:16 - the street of the water gate

Verse 27

the Tekoites: Nehemiah 3:5

the wall: Nehemiah 3:26

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 14:2 - to Tekoah 2 Chronicles 11:6 - Tekoa 2 Chronicles 27:3 - Ophel 2 Chronicles 33:14 - Ophel Nehemiah 3:24 - another piece

Verse 28

the horse: 2 Kings 11:16, 2 Chronicles 23:15, Jeremiah 31:40

every one: Nehemiah 3:10, Nehemiah 3:23

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 7:3 - every one to be

Verse 29

the son: Nehemiah 7:40, Ezra 2:37

Shechaniah: Ezra 10:2

the east gate: Jeremiah 19:2

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 29:4 - east street Nehemiah 3:23 - over against Nehemiah 10:8 - Shemaiah Ezekiel 40:6 - unto

Verse 30

another piece: Nehemiah 3:21

Meshullam: Nehemiah 3:4

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 3:23 - over against Nehemiah 6:18 - Meshullam Nehemiah 13:13 - Shelemiah

Verse 31

the goldsmith's: Nehemiah 3:8, Nehemiah 3:32

going up of the corner: or, corner-chamber

Reciprocal: Nehemiah 11:21 - the Nehemiah 12:39 - the prison Zephaniah 1:11 - all the

Verse 32

the sheep gate: Thus the whole city was surrounded with a wall; for Eliashib began at the sheep gate. Nehemiah 3:1, Nehemiah 12:39, John 5:2

the goldsmiths: The word tzeraphim may denote smiths, or refiners, or persons that worked in metals of any kind; but it is generally understood of those who worked in gold. From the remotest period of the history of the Jews, they had artists in all the elegant and ornamental trades; and it appears that goldsmiths, apothecaries, and merchants were formed into companies in the time of Nehemiah. Nehemiah 3:8, Nehemiah 3:31

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 26:9 - the valley gate Zephaniah 1:11 - all the