This chapter contains the names of the builders of the wall of Jerusalem, the order in which they worked, where they began, and where they ended, which was the sheep gate, Neh. 3:1–32.

Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests This was the grandson of Jeshua or Joshua the high priest, his father’s name was Joiakim, , being high priest, and rising first, he set a good example both to the priests and to the people, and served no doubt greatly to animate…

And next unto him builded the men of Jericho The posterity of those that formerly inhabited that city; these began where Eliashib and the priests ended, and went on from thence: and next to them; or rather “to him”, the high priest: builded Zaccur the son of Imri; who probably was the chief of the…

But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build So called, because fish was brought from the sea coasts through it, and near it was the fish market; this also was southward, according to Dr.

And next unto them repaired Meremoth, the son of Uriah, the son of Koz And the men under him; see , this part of the wall on which they worked was not wholly demolished, only weakened, and therefore did not rebuild it, but repaired and strengthened it, and this phrase is used all along afterwards:…

And next unto them the Tekoites repaired The inhabitants of Tekoa, a city in the tribe of Judah; see but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord; either of Nehemiah, as some, or rather of the lord and prince appointed over their families, as Aben Ezra, to whom they would not be…

Moreover, the old gate repaired Jehoiada, the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah Which some think was so called because it led to the old city Salem. Dr. Lightfoot [[0]] thinks it is the same with the second or third gate, .

And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and Mizpah Which places were both in the tribe of Benjamin, (Josh. 18:25, Josh.

Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths Or Tzorephim, which, according to Jarchi, was the name of a family so called from their trade and business: next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries; or confectioners, which also might be the name of…

And next unto them repaired Rephaiah, the son of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem. ] That city belonging partly to the tribe of Judah, and partly to the tribe of Benjamin; one part of it was under a governor that was of the tribe of Judah, as this man seems to be; and the other part…

And next unto him repaired Jedaiah, the son of Harumaph, over against his house That part of the wall which stood right against his house; and to take this part he could not well object to it, and it might be reasonably thought he would take care to repair it well, and make it strong for his own…

Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahathmoab, &c.] The fathers of these were heads of families that came out of captivity with Zerubbabel, (Ezra 2:6, Ezra 2:32) repaired the other piece: or second piece, below and next to that which Hattush repaired, the last builder mentioned: and…

And next unto him repaired Shallum, the son of Hallohesh So called, as Ben Melech says, from his being an enchanter of serpents, or a wise prudent counsellor: the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem; of the other half; see he and his daughters; who were rich widows or heiresses, and employed men to…

The valley gate repaired Hanun Of which see , and the inhabitants of Zanoah; a city in the tribe of Judah, , they built it, and set up the doors thereof see , and a thousand cubits on the wall to the dung gate; that is, they repaired the wall to such a length from the valley gate to the dung gate;…

But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab If this was one of the Rechabites, they were forbid to build houses, but, perhaps, though they might not build private houses for themselves to dwell in, they might be employed in building walls and fortresses for public security; though it is…

But the gate of the fountain Of which see repaired Shallum, the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; of a tract, district, town, or city so called; perhaps that in the tribe of Benjamin; see , he built it, and covered it; roofed it, which is not said of any of the other gates, whether…

After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Bethzur. ] A strong fortified place in the tribe of Judah, , unto the place over against the sepulchres of David; where he and his family, and the kings of his race, were buried, which remained to this time untouched by the…

After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani Who was one of them, as he that follows was another: next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah: a city of the tribe of Judah, in his part; either with the men of that part of Keilah under his jurisdiction, or at the…

After him repaired their brethren Either the brethren of the two before named particularly, or the Levites their brethren in general, as Jarchi: Bavai, the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah; the other half of that place.

And next to him repaired Ezer, the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah Either of another Mizpah, or of the other half of Mizpah, another piece; or a second piece; one of the two pieces; for another is mentioned in the next verse: over against the going up to the armoury, at the turning of the wall;…

After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired the other piece Towards and next to that Ezer the last builder mentioned had repaired; and this he did “earnestly”, or in anger as the word signifies, being angry with himself or others that there was any backwardness shown to the work; and…

After him repaired Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Koz, another piece He had wrought before in another part, , but having finished that, he sets his hand a second time to the work: from the door of the house of Eliashib, even to the end of the house of Eliashib; the door of his house seems to…

And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain. ] Either of the plain of Jericho, where, in later times at least, there was a station of the priests, or of the plain about Jerusalem; those also assisted in the repairs of the wall.

After him The last of the priests before mentioned: repaired Benjamin, and Hashub, over against their house; as much of the wall as the length of their house, or houses, were: after him repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, by his house: as far as that reached.

After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad, another piece. &c.] Beginning where Azariah ended: unto the turning of the wall, even unto the corner; the corner where the wall turned from the south to the east.

Palal the son of Uzai, over against the turning of the wall, &c.] Who dwelt there, and so repaired what was right against him: and the tower which lieth out from the king’s high house: which might be built for prospect, or his upper house: that was by the court of the prison; and we often read in…

Moreover, the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel An high tower upon the wait, in this part of it, see , these were servants to the Levites, and repaired here, where their dwellings were: unto the place over against the water gate toward the east: and as one part of their work was to fetch water for the…

After them the Tekoites repaired another piece Having finished what they undertook in another part of the wall, , they engage in this part of it; which shows their great zeal and diligence, when their nobles were so backward to it, and withdrew from it: over against the great tower that lieth out;…

From above the horse gate repaired the priests So called, either because near it were stables for horses; or through it horses were led to be watered at the brook of Kidron, to which it was near; or to be exercised in the valley; Josephus [[2]] speaks of the “hippie”, or horse tower, which might be…

After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer, over against his house After the last of the priests, this begun where they ended, and repaired as far as his house reached; and being, perhaps, a person of some note, his house might be a large one: after him repaired also Shemaiah, the son of…

After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece This last man had six sons; but only his youngest son wrought at this work, which is observed to his great commendation: after him repaired Shelemiah the son of Berechiah, over against his chamber;…

After him repaired Malchiah, the goldsmith’s son Or the son of Tzoreph, as some, so called from his business: unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants; he repaired up to the place where these dwelt: over against the gate Miphkad; where some think was an house of visitation or…

And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate, &c.] Where the building first began and where it now ended: repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants; or druggists; which was done at their expense; and so the wall all round, with the gates of it, were rebuilt and repaired, which was all…