Nehemiah 3:1-32 | The Way of Scripture

Nehemiah 3:1-32

Whose hands rebuild Jerusalem’s wall?

Berean Standard Bible

1 At the Sheep Gate, Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests began rebuilding. They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building as far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel, they dedicated the wall. 2 The men of Jericho built next to Eliashib, and Zaccur son of Imri built next to them. 3 The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 4 Next to them, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, made repairs. Next to him, Meshullam son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs; and next to him, Zadok son of Baana made repairs as well. 5 Next to him, the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.
6 The Jeshanah Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 7 Next to them, repairs were made by Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, who were under the authority of the governor of the region west of the Euphrates. 8 Next to them, Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. And next to him, Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs. They fortified Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Next to them, Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, made repairs; 10 next to him, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs across from his house; and next to him, Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs. 11 Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab repaired another section, as well as the Tower of the Ovens. 12 And next to them, Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of the other half-district of Jerusalem, made repairs, with the help of his daughters.
13 The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it, installed its doors, bolts, and bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Dung Gate. 14 The Dung Gate was repaired by Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem. He rebuilt it and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 15 The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofed it, and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah near the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that descend from the City of David. 16 Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth-zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Mighty. 17 Next to him, the Levites made repairs under Rehum son of Bani, and next to him, Hashabiah, ruler of a half-district of Keilah, made repairs for his district. 18 Next to him, their countrymen made repairs under Binnui son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. 19 And next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory, near the angle in the wall. 20 Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai diligently repaired another section, from the angle to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the doorway of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house.
22 And next to him, the priests from the surrounding area made repairs. 23 Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house, and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. 24 After him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the angle and the corner, 25 and Palal son of Uzai made repairs opposite the angle and the tower that juts out from the upper palace of the king near the courtyard of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the tower that juts out. 27 And next to them, the Tekoites repaired another section, from a point opposite the great tower that juts out to the wall of Ophel. 28 Above the Horse Gate, each of the priests made repairs in front of his own house. 29 Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house, and next to him, Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the guard of the East Gate, made repairs. 30 Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, as well as Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his own quarters. 31 Next to him, Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the upper room above the corner. 32 And between the upper room above the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.

What is the context?

The account follows the work around the city, beginning and ending at the Sheep Gate. It records who takes responsibility for neighboring sections, gates, towers and stretches beside homes.

The people include priests, Levites, district rulers, goldsmiths, a perfumer, merchants and Shallum’s daughters. Several groups repair sections near their own homes, while some undertake another section as well. The Tekoites appear twice, even though their nobles refuse to join the work under their supervisors.

The repeated word for repairs comes from Hebrew חָזַק, chazaq, pronounced khah-ZAHK. Brown–Driver–Briggs specifically lists its use in this chapter for repairing Jerusalem’s walls. Here the work is making the damaged defenses firm again, section by section.

The list makes the shared undertaking concrete. Nehemiah’s invitation is followed by the names and places of the people who carry it forward, together with the notice that some do not participate.

How is this passage commonly understood?

Henry emphasizes divided responsibilities serving a common good: each person or group attends to work within reach, and some take on more. Gill likewise highlights the Tekoites’ continued work in contrast with their nobles’ refusal. The nobles’ refusal is recorded alongside the work other Tekoites undertake.

Where does this fit in God's plan?

The wider theme of different people serving a shared purpose appears in 1 Corinthians 12:4–27. God gives different gifts for the common good, and the members of Christ’s body need and care for one another.

This is a connection between shared work here and the mutual service described in the New Testament. The wall needs its neighboring sections joined together; Christ’s body grows through people whose different contributions matter. The passage gives the reader names to remember where a summary might have mentioned only the leader.

What is our position?

We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.

Where can I study this further?

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