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Nehemiah 3
New English Translation

The Names of the Builders

3 Then Eliashib the high priest and his priestly colleagues[a] arose and built the Sheep Gate. They dedicated[b] it and erected its doors, working as far as the Tower of the Hundred[c] and[d] the Tower of Hananel. 2 The men of Jericho built adjacent to it, and Zaccur son of Imri built adjacent to them.[e]

3 The sons of Hassenaah rebuilt the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 4 Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakoz, worked on the section adjacent to them. Meshullam son of Berechiah the son of Meshezabel worked on the section next to them. And Zadok son of Baana worked on the section adjacent to them. 5 The men of Tekoa worked on the section adjacent to them, but their town leaders[f] would not assist[g] with the work of their master.[h]

6 Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah worked on the Jeshanah Gate.[i] They laid its beams and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars. 7 Adjacent to them worked Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, who were men of Gibeon and Mizpah. These towns were under the jurisdiction[j] of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. 8 Uzziel son of Harhaiah, a member of the goldsmiths’ guild, worked on the section adjacent to him. Hananiah, a member of the perfumers’ guild, worked on the section adjacent to him. They plastered[k] the city wall of Jerusalem[l] as far as the Broad Wall. 9 Rephaiah son of Hur, head of a half-district of Jerusalem, worked on the section adjacent to them. 10 Jedaiah son of Harumaph worked on the section adjacent to them opposite[m] his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah worked on the section adjacent to him. 11 Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath Moab worked on another section and the Tower of the Ovens. 12 Shallum son of Hallohesh, head of a half-district of Jerusalem, worked on the section adjacent to him, assisted by his daughters.[n]

13 Hanun and the residents of Zanoah worked on the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars, in addition to working on 1,500 feet[o] of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.

14 Malkijah son of Recab, head of the district of Beth Hakkerem, worked on the Dung Gate. He rebuilt it and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

15 Shallun son of Col-Hozeh, head of the district of Mizpah, worked on the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it, put on its roof, and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars. In addition, he rebuilt the wall of the Pool of Siloam,[p] by the royal garden, as far as the steps that go down from the City of David. 16 Nehemiah son of Azbuk, head of a half-district of Beth Zur, worked after him as far as the tombs of David and the artificial pool and the House of the Warriors.

17 After him the Levites worked—Rehum son of Bani and[q] after him Hashabiah, head of half the district of Keilah, for his district. 18 After him their relatives[r] worked—Binnui[s] son of Henadad, head of a half-district of Keilah. 19 Adjacent to him Ezer son of Jeshua, head of Mizpah, worked on another section, opposite the ascent to the armory at the buttress. 20 After him Baruch son of Zabbai worked on another section, from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, worked on another section from the door of Eliashib’s house to the end of it.[t]

22 After him the priests worked, men of the nearby district. 23 After them Benjamin and Hasshub worked opposite their house. After them Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, worked near his house. 24 After him Binnui son of Henadad worked on another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress and the corner. 25 After him Palal son of Uzai worked[u] opposite the buttress and the tower that protrudes from the upper palace[v] of the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah son of Parosh 26 and the temple servants who were living on Ophel worked[w] up to the area opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the protruding tower. 27 After them the men of Tekoa worked on another section, from opposite the great protruding tower to the wall of Ophel.

28 Above the Horse Gate the priests worked, each in front of his house. 29 After them Zadok son of Immer worked opposite his house, and after him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, guard at the East Gate, worked. 30 After him[x] Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, worked on another section. After them Meshullam son of Berechiah worked opposite his quarters. 31 After him Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, worked as far as the house of the temple servants and the traders, opposite the Inspection Gate,[y] and up to the room above the corner. 32 And between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and traders worked.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 3:1 tn Heb “his brothers the priests.”
  2. Nehemiah 3:1 tn Or “consecrated” (so NASB, NRSV); KJV, ASV “sanctified”; NCV “gave it to the Lord’s service.”
  3. Nehemiah 3:1 tc The MT adds קִדְּשׁוּהוּ (qiddeshuhu, “they sanctified it”). This term is repeated from the first part of the verse, probably as an intentional scribal addition to harmonize this statement with the preceding parallel statement.
  4. Nehemiah 3:1 tc The translation reads וְעַד (veʿad, “and unto”) rather than the MT reading עַד (ʿad, “unto”). The original vav (ו) was probably dropped accidentally due to haplography with the final vav on the immediately preceding word in the MT.
  5. Nehemiah 3:2 tn Heb “it.”
  6. Nehemiah 3:5 tn Heb “their nobles.”
  7. Nehemiah 3:5 tn Heb “bring their neck.”
  8. Nehemiah 3:5 tn The plural form אֲדֹנֵיהֶם (ʾadonehem, “lords”) is probably a plural of majesty referring to Nehemiah (e.g., Isa 19:4; see GKC 399 §124.i). However, some English versions take the plural to refer to the “supervisors” (NIV, NCV, TEV) and others to “their Lord” (KJV, NRSV).
  9. Nehemiah 3:6 tn Or “the Old Gate” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NCV, NRSV, NLT).
  10. Nehemiah 3:7 tn Heb “to the seat.”
  11. Nehemiah 3:8 tc Assuming that the MT reading וַיַּעַזְבוּ (vayyaʿazevu) is related to the root עָזַב I (“to abandon”)—which makes little sense contextually—some interpreters emend the MT to וַיַּעַזְרוּ (vayyaʿazeru, “they aided”), as suggested by the editors of BHS. However, it is better to relate this term to the root II עָזַב meaning “to restore; to repair” (BDB 738 s.v. II עָזַב) or “to plaster” (HALOT 807 s.v. II עזב qal.1). This homonymic root is rare, appearing elsewhere only in Exod 23:5 and Job 9:27, where it means “to restore; to put in order” (HALOT 807-8 s.v. II עזב qal.2). The related Mishnaic Hebrew noun מעזיבה refers to a “plastered floor.” This Hebrew root is probably related to the cognate Ugaritic, Old South Arabic and Sabean verbs that mean “to restore” and “to prepare; to lay” (see BDB 738 s.v.; HALOT 807 s.v.). Some scholars in the nineteenth century suggested that this term be nuanced “paved.” However, most modern English versions have “restored” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV) or “rebuilt” (so NCV, CEV).
  12. Nehemiah 3:8 tn Heb “[the city wall of] Jerusalem.” The term “Jerusalem” probably functions as a metonymy of association for the city wall of Jerusalem. Accordingly, the phrase “the city wall of” has been supplied in the translation to clarify this figurative expression.
  13. Nehemiah 3:10 tc The translation reads נֶגֶד (neged, “before”) with a few medieval Hebrew mss, some mss of the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Vulgate, rather than וְנֶגֶד (veneged, “and before”) of the MT.
  14. Nehemiah 3:12 tc The reference to daughters, while not impossible, is odd in light of the cultural improbability that young women would participate in the strenuous labor of rebuilding city walls. All other such references in the Book of Nehemiah presuppose male laborers. Not surprisingly, some scholars suspect a textual problem. One medieval Hebrew ms and the Syriac Peshitta read וּבָנָיו (uvanayv, “and his sons”) rather than the MT reading וּבְנוֹתָיו (uvenotayv, “and his daughters”). Some scholars emend the MT to וּבֹנָיו (uvonayv, “and his builders”). On the other hand, the MT is clearly the more difficult reading, and so it is preferred.
  15. Nehemiah 3:13 tn Heb “1,000 cubits.” The standard cubit in the OT is assumed by most authorities to be about 18 inches (45 cm) long, so this section of the wall would be about 1,500 feet (450 m).
  16. Nehemiah 3:15 tn The Hebrew word translated “Siloam” is הַשֶּׁלַח (hashelakh, “water-channel”; cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV, TEV, CEV “Shelah”). It apparently refers to the Pool of Siloam whose water supply came from the Gihon Spring via Hezekiah’s Tunnel built in 701 b.c. (cf. Isa 8:6). See BDB 1019 s.v. שִׁלֹחַ; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 372. On the etymology of the word, which is a disputed matter, see HALOT 1517 s.v. III שֶׁלַח.
  17. Nehemiah 3:17 tc The translation reads וְעַל (veʿal, “and unto”) with several medieval Hebrew mss and some mss of LXX, rather than the MT reading עַל (ʿal, “unto”).
  18. Nehemiah 3:18 tn Heb “brothers.”
  19. Nehemiah 3:18 tc The translation reads with a few medieval Hebrew mss and the Syriac Peshitta בִּנֻּי (binnuy) rather than the MT reading בַּוַּי (bavvay).
  20. Nehemiah 3:21 tn Heb “the house of Eliashib.” This has not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  21. Nehemiah 3:25 tc The MT lacks the phrase אַחֲרָיו הֶחֱזִיק (ʾakharayv hekheziq, “after him worked”). This phrase is used repeatedly in Neh 3:16-31 to introduce each worker and his location. It probably dropped out accidentally through haplography.
  22. Nehemiah 3:25 tn Heb “house of the king.”
  23. Nehemiah 3:26 tc The Hebrew text lacks the verb “worked.” It is implied, however, and has been supplied in the translation.
  24. Nehemiah 3:30 tc The translation reads אַחֲרָיו (ʾakharayv, “after him”) with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss, rather than the reading אַחֲרֵי (ʾakhare, “after me”) of the MT. So also in v. 31.
  25. Nehemiah 3:31 tn Heb “Miphkad Gate” (so TEV; KJV similar); NRSV “Muster Gate.”
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Nehemiah 3
Easy-to-Read Version

Builders of the Wall

3 The name of the high priest was Eliashib. He and his brothers, the priests, went to work and built the Sheep Gate. They prayed to make that gate holy to God. They set its doors in place in the wall. The priests worked on the wall of Jerusalem as far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. They prayed to make all this work holy to God.

2 The men from Jericho built the wall next to the priests. And Zaccur son of a man named Imri built the wall next to the men of Jericho.

3 The sons of a man named Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They set the beams in place. They put doors on the building. Then they put the locks and bolts on the doors.

4 Meremoth son of Uriah repaired the next section of the wall. (Uriah was the son of Hakkoz.)

Meshullam son of Berekiah repaired the next section of the wall. (Berekiah was the son of Meshezabel.)

Zadok son of Baana repaired the next section of the wall.

5 The men from Tekoa repaired the next section of the wall, but the leaders from Tekoa refused to work for Nehemiah their governor.

6 Joiada and Meshullam fixed the Old Gate. Joiada is the son of Paseah and Meshullam is the son of Besodeiah. They set the beams in place. They put the doors on the hinges. Then they put the locks and bolts on the doors.

7 The men from Gibeon and Mizpah fixed the next section of the wall. Melatiah from Gibeon and Jadon from Meronoth did the work. Gibeon and Meronoth are places that are controlled by the governors of the area west of the Euphrates River.

8 Uzziel son of Harhaiah repaired the next section of the wall. Uzziel was a goldsmith. Hananiah was one of the perfume makers. These men built and repaired Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.

9 Rephaiah son of Hur repaired the next section of the wall. Rephaiah was the governor of half of Jerusalem.

10 Jedaiah son of Harumaph repaired the next section of the wall. Jedaiah repaired the wall next to his own house. Hattush son of Hashabneiah repaired the next section. 11 Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired the next section. They also repaired Oven Tower.

12 Shallum son of Hallohesh repaired the next section of the wall. His daughters helped him. Shallum was the governor of the other half of Jerusalem.

13 The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the people who live in the town of Zanoah. They built the Valley Gate. They put the doors on their hinges. Then they put the locks and bolts on the doors. They also repaired 500 yards[a] of the wall. They worked on the wall all the way to the Gate of Ash Piles.

14 Malkijah son of Recab repaired the Gate of Ash Piles. Malkijah was the governor of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He repaired the gate. He put the doors on the hinges. Then he put the locks and bolts on the doors.

15 Shallun son of Col-Hozeh repaired the Fountain Gate. Shallun was the governor of the district of Mizpah. He repaired the gate and put a roof over it. He put the doors on the hinges. Then he put the locks and bolts on the doors. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam that is next to the King’s Garden. He repaired the wall all the way to the steps that go down from the City of David.

16 Nehemiah son of Azbuk repaired the next section. This Nehemiah was the governor of half the district of Beth Zur. He made repairs up to a place that is across from the tombs of David. And he worked as far as the man-made pool and the House of Heroes.

17 The men from the tribe of Levi repaired the next section. They worked under Rehum son of Bani. Hashabiah repaired the next section. Hashabiah was governor of half the district of Keilah. He made repairs for his own district.

18 Their brothers repaired the next section. They worked under Binnui son of Henadad. Binnui was the governor of the other half of the district of Keilah.

19 Ezer son of Jeshua repaired the next section. Ezer was governor of Mizpah. He repaired the section of wall from the room for weapons to the corner of the wall. 20 Baruch son of Zabbai repaired the next section. Baruch worked very hard and repaired the section of wall from the corner to the entrance to the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section of wall from the entrance to Eliashib’s house to the end of that house. 22 The next section of walls was repaired by the priests who lived in that area.[b]

23 Benjamin and Hasshub repaired the wall in front of their own house. And Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, repaired the wall next to his house.

24 Binnui son of Henadad repaired the section of wall from Azariah’s house to the bend in the wall and then to the corner.

25 Palal son of Uzai worked across from the bend in the wall near the tower. This is the tower at the king’s upper house. That is near the courtyard of the king’s guard. Pedaiah son of Parosh worked next to Palal.

26 The Temple servants lived on Ophel Hill. They repaired the next section all the way to the east side of the Water Gate and the tower near it.

27 The men from Tekoa repaired the rest of that section from the big tower all the way to the Ophel wall.

28 The priests repaired the section over the Horse Gate. Each priest repaired the wall in front of his own house. 29 Zadok son of Immer repaired the section in front of his house. Shemaiah son of Shecaniah repaired the next section. Shemaiah was the guard of the East Gate.

30 Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun son of Zalaph repaired the rest of that section of wall. (Hanun was Zalaph’s sixth son.)

Meshullam son of Berekiah repaired the section in front of his house. 31 Malkijah repaired the next section of wall all the way to the houses of the Temple servants and the merchants. That is across from the Inspection Gate. Malkijah repaired the section all the way to the room over the corner of the wall. Malkijah was a goldsmith. 32 The goldsmiths and the merchants repaired the section of wall from that corner to the Sheep Gate.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 3:13 500 yards Literally, “1000 cubits” (444 m).
  2. Nehemiah 3:22 that area Or possibly, “the Jordan Valley.”
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Nehemiah 3
New King James Version

Rebuilding the Wall

3 Then (A)Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests (B)and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built (C)as far as the Tower of [a]the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of (D)Hananel. 2 [b]Next to Eliashib (E)the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.

3 Also the sons of Hassenaah built (F)the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and (G)hung its doors with its bolts and bars. 4 And next to them (H)Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of [c]Koz, made repairs. Next to them (I)Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok the son of Baana made repairs. 5 Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles did not put their [d]shoulders to (J)the work of their Lord.

6 Moreover Jehoiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired (K)the Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors, with its bolts and bars. 7 And next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, the (L)men of Gibeon and Mizpah, repaired the (M)residence[e] of the governor of the region [f]beyond the River. 8 Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. Also next to him Hananiah, [g]one of the perfumers, made repairs; and they [h]fortified Jerusalem as far as the (N)Broad Wall. 9 And next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, leader of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. 10 Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs in front of his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabniah made repairs.

11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hashub the son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section, (O)as well as the Tower of the Ovens. 12 And next to him was Shallum the son of Hallohesh, leader of half the district of Jerusalem; he and his daughters made repairs.

13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired (P)the Valley Gate. They built it, hung its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as (Q)the Refuse Gate.

14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, leader of the district of (R)Beth Haccerem, repaired the Refuse Gate; he built it and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.

15 Shallun the son of Col-Hozeh, leader of the district of Mizpah, repaired (S)the Fountain Gate; he built it, covered it, hung its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired the wall of the Pool of (T)Shelah[i] by the (U)King’s Garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David. 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, leader of half the district of Beth Zur, made repairs as far as the place in front of the [j]tombs of David, to the (V)man-made pool, and as far as the House of the Mighty.

17 After him the Levites, under Rehum the son of Bani, made repairs. Next to him Hashabiah, leader of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district. 18 After him their brethren, under [k]Bavai the son of Henadad, leader of the other half of the district of Keilah, made repairs. 19 And next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the leader of Mizpah, repaired another section in front of the Ascent to the Armory at the (W)buttress.[l] 20 After him Baruch the son of [m]Zabbai carefully repaired the other section, from the [n]buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of [o]Koz, repaired another section, from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib.

22 And after him the priests, the men of the plain, made repairs. 23 After him Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs by his house. 24 After him (X)Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to (Y)the [p]buttress, even as far as the corner. 25 Palal the son of Uzai made repairs opposite the [q]buttress, and on the tower which projects from the king’s upper house that was by the (Z)court of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs.

26 Moreover (AA)the Nethinim who dwelt in (AB)Ophel made repairs as far as the place in front of (AC)the Water Gate toward the east, and on the projecting tower. 27 After them the Tekoites repaired another section, next to the great projecting tower, and as far as the wall of Ophel.

28 Beyond the (AD)Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. 29 After them Zadok the son of Immer made repairs in front of his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs. 30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah made repairs in front of his [r]dwelling. 31 After him Malchijah, [s]one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the Nethinim and of the merchants, in front of the [t]Miphkad Gate, and as far as the upper room at the corner. 32 And between the upper room at the corner, as far as the (AE)Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 3:1 Heb. Hammeah
  2. Nehemiah 3:2 Lit. On his hand
  3. Nehemiah 3:4 Or Hakkoz
  4. Nehemiah 3:5 Lit. necks
  5. Nehemiah 3:7 Lit. throne
  6. Nehemiah 3:7 West of the Euphrates
  7. Nehemiah 3:8 Lit. the son
  8. Nehemiah 3:8 restored
  9. Nehemiah 3:15 Or Shiloah
  10. Nehemiah 3:16 LXX, Syr., Vg. tomb
  11. Nehemiah 3:18 So with MT, Vg.; some Heb. mss., LXX, Syr. Binnui (cf. v. 24)
  12. Nehemiah 3:19 Lit. turning
  13. Nehemiah 3:20 A few Heb. mss., Syr., Vg. Zaccai
  14. Nehemiah 3:20 Lit. turning
  15. Nehemiah 3:21 Or Hakkoz
  16. Nehemiah 3:24 Lit. turning
  17. Nehemiah 3:25 Lit. turning
  18. Nehemiah 3:30 Lit. room
  19. Nehemiah 3:31 Lit. a son of the goldsmiths
  20. Nehemiah 3:31 Lit. Inspection or Recruiting
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Nehemiah 2
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