Nehemiah 3
-Chapter three gives the reader a listing of the detailed work plan and the individuals who carried out this monumental task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and the gates of the city with all the repairs necessary to protect the holy city. They started at the Sheep Gate on the farthest north boundary of the city and consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. This was accomplished by Eliashib, the high priest, and his brothers who were also priests. Next to them were men from Jericho, and next to them was a group led by Zaccur as they worked westward. Next came the sons of Hassenaah, who built the Fish Gate. “They laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.” Repairs to the walls were continued to be made as they ventured west and turned slightly to the south led by Meremoth and Meshullam and Zadok. Next to Zadok were the Tekoites making repairs, but their nobles unfortunately did not support them. At the northwest corner of the operation, Joiada and another man by the name of Meshullam, not related to the former above, repaired completely the Old Gate with beams, doors, bolts, and bars as well. Next to them were Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, also making repairs for the official seat of the governor of the province beyond the River in this empire controlled by the Medes and the Persians. Next to them was Uzziel of the goldsmiths and then there was Hananiah, one of the perfumers, who made repairs in restoring the walls of Jerusalem all the way to the Broad Wall as one goes southward and slightly back towards the east due to the terrain of the land. Then came Rephaiah, who was an official of half the district of Jerusalem. He made repairs in this section. Next to him was Jedaiah, who made repairs opposite his house, and he was followed as they continued south by Hattush, who also was working hard making repairs to the ruins. As things continued south to about the mid-way point of the project on the western side of the city, Halchijah and Hasshub made repairs as far as the Tower of Furnaces. Next to them Shallum, the son of Hallohesh, an official of the other half of the district of Jerusalem, made repairs along with his daughters between the Tower of Furnaces and the Valley Gate. At the Valley Gate, it was Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah who built the gates back up with doors, bolts, and bars. They also built back a thousand cubits (about 1,500 feet) of the wall to the southernmost point of the Refuse Gate. At the Refuse Gate, it was Machijah, the official of the district of Beth-haccherem, making repairs. “He built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars.” Shallum, the son of Col-hozeh and the official of the district of Mizpah, was the man in charge of repairing the Fountain Gate, which was also at the southernmost point just east of the Refuse Gate. “He built it, covered it, and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars.” Now turning back northward on the eastern side of the city, he also oversaw the rebuilding of “the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the king’s garden as far as the steps that descend from the city of David (Nehemiah 3:1-15).”
-After Shallum’s section ended, Nehemiah, the son of Azbuk (not the writer of the book or chief tactician) and official of half the district of Beth-zur, made repairs as far as a point opposite the tombs of David and the artificial pool and house of the mighty men of ancient times. After him the Levites carried out repairs under the guidance of Rehum. Then came Hashabiah, who was the official of half the district of Keilah. He represented his district in leading this project of reestablishment of the walls of Jerusalem. After him their brothers continued making repairs northward under Bavvai, who was the official of the other half of the district of Keilah. Next to him was a leader named Ezer, who was an official of Mizpah. He repaired another section from in front of the ascent of the armory at the Angle. After him, Baruch “zealously repaired” from the Angle to the doorway of Eliashib’s house, who was the high priest (see Nehemiah 3:1). After him, it was Meremoth who was in charge of yet another section of the wall. He oversaw repairs from Eliashib’s house even as far as the end of his own house. Then, as they continued north, the priests, the men of the valley (Jordan Valley), carried out repairs. Next to them and still going northward to the west of the Kidron, Benjamin and Hasshub carried out repairs in front of their houses, along with Azariah as the project kept going. After Azariah, it was Binnui who repaired yet another delicate section “from the house Azariah as far as the Angle as far as the corner.” Palal “made repairs in front of the Angle and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king, which is by the court of the guard.” After him, Pedaiah made more repairs along this eastern boundary. The Temple servants living in Ophel were in charge of work as far as the Water Gate and the Projecting Tower. After them the Tekoites repaired another section in front of the “great projecting tower and as far as the wall of Ophel.” Above the Horse Gate, more priests carried out repairs, “each in front of his own house.” After them, Zadok the son of Immer made repairs to his own house as well. Shemaiah followed him as “the keeper of the East Gate” carrying out further repairs. The sixth son of Zalaph, Hanun, and his comrade Hananiah the son of Shelemiah repaired another section. After them, Meshullam carried out fixes in front of his own quarters. After him, Malchijah, another of the goldsmiths, carried out his repairs as far as the house of the Temple servants and of the merchants in front of the Inspection Gate and as far as the upper room, which was in the northeast corner of the city. “Between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants carried out repairs.” So, in this complete and detailed account of where everyone was at in the rebuilding process of Jerusalem’s walls and gates, the reader is back from where he/she started in verse one on the northern side of the holy city (Nehemiah 3:16-32). Below is a pictorial of this to help our understanding:
*Application* Any vision that we receive will have to have detailed plans, which are to be faithfully carried out by people other than ourselves. Teamwork makes the dream work, we’ve all probably heard before and it’s true. Anything God calls us to is far beyond ourselves so that we can share the glory with Him and others and not receive it just for our own sinful pleasures or desires. Always remember to give credit and honor to those who have helped in fulfilling the dreams God has given us.
Verse to Memorize:
Nehemiah 3:1
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