Nehemiah 3
1 The names and order of them that built the wall.
Eliashib <0475> [Eliashib.]
Sheep Gate <06629 08179> [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 any thing 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.
dedicated .... erected ......... Tower ....... Tower <06942 05975 04026> [sanctified it.]
Tower ....... Tower <04026> [the tower.]
adjacent .......... adjacent <03027> [next unto him. Heb. at his hand. the men.]
Zaccur <02139> [Zaccur.]
Fish Gate <08179 01709> [the fish gate.]
beams <07136> [the beams.]
doors <01817> [the doors.]
Meremoth <04822> [Meremoth.]
Uriah <0223> [Urijah.]
[Uriah. Meshullam.]
Tekoa <08621> [the Tekoites.]
town leaders <0117> [their nobles.]
assist <0935 06677> [put not.]
Gibeonite <01393> [the Gibeonite.]
Mizpah <04709> [Mizpah.]
jurisdiction <03678> [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.
goldsmiths <06884> [the goldsmiths.]
perfumers <07546> [of the apothecaries.]
plastered <05800> [fortified. or, left. the broad wall.]
head <08269> [the ruler.]
house <01004> [even.]
Hattush <02407> [Hattush.]
Harim <02766> [Harim.]
Pahath-Moab <06355> [Pahath-moab.]
another section <04060 08145> [other piece. Heb. second measure. the tower.]
head <08269> [the ruler.]
daughters <01323> [he and his daughters.]
Valley Gate .............................. Gate <01516 08179> [the valley gate.]
Zanoah <02182> [Zanoah.]
There were two towns of the name of Zanoah in the tribe of Judah: see the parallel passages.
Dung Gate <08179 0830> [the dung gate.]
head <08269> [the ruler.]
Beth Hakkerem <01021> [Beth-haccerem.]
Beth-haccerem was a town of Judah, situated on a mountain, between Jerusalem and Tekoa, according to Jerome on Jer. ch. 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.
Gate <08179> [the gate.]
head <08269> [the ruler.]
Mizpah <04709> [Mizpah.]
[Mizpeh.]
Siloam <07975> [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.
[Shiloah.]
[Siloam. the stairs.]
head <08269> [the ruler.]
Beth Zur <01049> [Beth-zur.]
tombs <06913> [the sepulchres.]
artificial pool <01295> [the pool.]
House <01004> [the house.]
head <08269> [the ruler.]
Keilah <07084> [Keilah.]
Jeshua <03442> [Jeshua.]
Mizpah <04709> [Mizpah.]
buttress <04740> [the turning.]
Zabbai <02079> [Zabbai. or, Zaccai. earnestly.]
Eliashib <0475> [Eliashib.]
Meremoth <04822> [Meremoth.]
Hakkoz <06976> [Koz.]
district <0582 03603> [the men of the plain.]
house ............... house <01004> [over against.]
Azariah <05838> [Azariah.]
Maaseiah <04641> [Maaseiah.]
Binnui <01131> [Binnui.]
another ... from <08145 04060> [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.
buttress <04740> [the turning.]
<04428> [the king's.]
court <02691> [by the court.]
Pedaiah <06305> [Pedaiah.]
Parosh <06551> [Parosh.]
temple servants <05411> [Nethinims.]
who ... living <03427> [dwelt, etc. or, which dwelt in Ophel, repaired unto. Ophel. or, the tower.]
Water <04325> [the water.]
The water gate is supposed to have been that by which the Nethinim brought in water for the use of the temple.
Tekoa <08621> [the Tekoites.]
wall <02346> [the wall.]
Horse <05483> [the horse.]
each <0376> [every one.]
son ............ son <01121> [the son.]
Shecaniah <07935> [Shechaniah.]
East Gate <08179 04217> [the east gate.]
another section <08145 04060> [another piece.]
Meshullam <04918> [Meshullam.]
goldsmiths <06885> [the goldsmith's.]
room above ... corner <06438 05944> [going up of the corner. or, corner-chamber.]
Sheep Gate <08179 06629> [the sheep gate.]
Thus the whole city was surrounded with a wall; for Eliashib began at the sheep gate.
goldsmiths <06884> [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.