Living Theology



NehemiahLeon L. Combs, B.S., M.A., M.Div., Ph.D.Chapter 3This chapter describes some details of the building of the wall and its gates that demonstrates the organizing ability of Nehemiah. There are 42 sections of construction mentioned that includes the building of 10 gates all of which have a special meaning for Christians today:Sheep Gate (v. 1). This clearly pictures the sacrificial offering of the Lamb of God which is the starting place to regain strength for our life as Christians. Fish Gate (v. 3). Jesus told us to be fishers of men (Mark 1:17) so this suggests the witness of a Christian. If we are weak in our witness of Christ this gate needs repairing.Old (Jeshanah) Gate (v. 6). This can represent the unchangeable truth of God upon which all that is new must be built. If the old truth is being discarded or changed then this gate must be rebuilt. Valley Gate (v. 13). This suggests the place of humility through which every Christian needs to frequent as God is opposed to the proud (James 4:6).Dung (Ashpot) Gate (v. 14). All that is evil or not in accord with the unchangeable truth of God must be eliminated from our life.Fountain Gate (v. 15). This speaks of the Holy Spirit acting as a river of life for all Christians (John 4:14). We must all drink from this fountain often to be refreshed.Water Gate (v. 26). Water is usually synonymous with the Word of God. There is no mention in this chapter that it needs repairing. Similarly the Word of God never needs repairing or any portion of it replacing. We must just use it in our life. Horse Gate (v. 28). The horse is the symbol of warfare and we must always be aware that we have enemies that need fighting (Eph 6:12).East Gate (v. 29). This gate faces the rising son and so is a gate of hope for the time when all troubles, illnesses, and evil will cease. We all need this gate to always be functioning properly. Inspection Gate (v. 31). This is the place where judgment was conducted and we all need to look closely at our life to evaluate what we are doing as we all will face a time of personal judgment although not for entrance into the New Jerusalem. This should be viewed as a cyclic process as we always start with the Cross and then go through all of these gates again as we walk in this exilic world. The writing indicates that most of the rebuilding was concentrated at the gates since the enemy’s assaults were mainly there. There are two theories concerning the size of the walls. The Maximalist position is that they were about 2.5 miles containing about 220 acres. The Minimalist position is that the circuit would have been just less than 2 miles enclosing about 90 acres. Depending upon the choice, the 42 sections would have an average of about 250 feet although a longer section of 1500 feet is mentioned in v. 3. Certainly not all of the sections were in the same state of disrepair when Nehemiah arrived and evidence suggests that a lot of the domestic buildings survived although most of the larger homes were destroyed. The list of people involved in the work was probably preserved in the temple. It proceeds in a counterclockwise direction around the wall and many of the locations can be seen from the attached map of the wall. The places listed as homes of the builders probably represent the administrative centers of the Judean province. He did all of this planning without the benefit of computer graphics of organization programs as we have available today. He had to arrange for the timely delivery of construction items as well as depending upon the people involved to properly do their tasks. He divided the workforce into some 40 work crews that he had to organize by common interests, abilities, and location. This chapter also contains one of the most detailed biblical descriptions of Jerusalem. But many of the exact locations cannot be identified today. It is difficult to do proper archeological excavations in the modern city today that is highly populated. One of the walls that have been excavated is eight feet thick. The entire area of Judah was not very large at the time of Nehemiah as indicated by the following map:Neh 3:1-3Then Eliashib the high priest arose with his brothers the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They consecrated the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. (2) Next to him the men of Jericho built, and next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built. (3) Now the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. Eliashib was the grandson of Joshua, the leader at the time of the temple construction. We see that the priests were not just overseers but were involved in the work as they built the Sheep Gate, consecrated it and hung its doors. This gate was near the northeast corner of the wall and near the temple region. Sheep destined for being offered were first brought to this area. There were two towers on the north wall since it was not defended by a hill. This is the only section where a separate dedication is observed as both towers were consecrated due to their function of protecting the city at a vulnerable position. Some scholars argue that this is a function of the dedication of the entire wall as it is a protection of the house of God as part of a theological-salvific function planned for the completion of the wall and the temple. Verse 2 shows how various families worked together in the rebuilding of the wall and the gates. As seen on the diagram the Fish Gate is the next gate to be built and it was sometimes also called the Ephraim Gate or the Middle Gate. It is also thought to be the location of the current Damascus Gate. It was known as one of the main entrances to Jerusalem: Now after this he built the outer wall of the city of David on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance of the Fish Gate; and he encircled the Ophel with it and made it very high. Then he put army commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah. (2 Chron 33:14) The sons of Hassenaah is the largest group numbered (3,630 in Ezra 2:35 and 3,930 in Neh 7:38). Neh 3:4-6Next to them Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz made repairs. And next to him Meshullam the son of Berechiah the son of Meshezabel made repairs. And next to him Zadok the son of Baana also made repairs. (5) Moreover, next to him the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not support the work of their masters. (6) Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars. There was a priest named Meremoth the son of Hakko who had difficulty establishing his lineage but was allowed by Ezra to join them (Ezra 2:59, 61; Ezra 8:33). Some scholars state that he was the only person proven to have joined both Ezra and Nehemiah in the reconstruction. Meshullam also made repairs and signed the covenant (10:20). Zadok is also credited with some repairs. Tekoa is a small town five miles south of Bethlehem that is known as the home of the prophet Amos (Amos 1:1). The nobles were aristocrats who did not perform manual labor even though the supervisors supported the work of Nehemiah, supposedly because of the letters Nehemiah had from the king. The Old (or Jeshanah) Gate was on the northwest corner of the wall and is identified as the Corner Gate in 2 Kings 14:13. Gates were often named for what was outside of the wall and would have led to a new area of expansion. We will see that God used men of various talents and backgrounds to rebuild the wall. I will not comment on many of the names listed but acknowledge their important work in rebuilding the wall so that the new Jewish community could be established leading to the entrance into the world of Jesus Christ. Neh 3:7-12Next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, also made repairs for the official seat of the governor of the province beyond the River. (8) Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah of the goldsmiths made repairs. And next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs, and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. (9) Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. (10) Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs. (11) Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of Furnaces. (12) Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters. Gibeon was about six miles northwest of Jerusalem and was originally a Canaanite city that tricked Joshua into an alliance (Josh 9:11). Mizpah was probably the governor’s residence when he visited the area. There were many guilds involved in the work which speaks highly of the administrative skill of Nehemiah. The “district” refers to the countryside near a city. The Persians often left some administrators to work under them in a city they conquered so these people may not have been exiled. Nehemiah brought together a great combination of people to work on the wall. In verse 10 we see that people had an incentive to work on the wall near their homes and Nehemiah used such people wisely. “Repaired another section” can also be translated as “repaired a second section” so they probably finished one section of the wall and moved on to another section. The tower of “Furnaces” can also be translated as the Tower of “Ovens” that can be seen on the attached map. It refers to an area used for baking bread or for making pottery. Shallum and Rephaiah (v. 9) were rulers over larger sections of the city so significant rulers also joined in the work. This mention of his daughters doing work does not mean these were the only women involved but it shows the total involvement of the people in rebuilding the wall. However this statement probably means that he did not have any sons. The daughters of a man with no sons would inherit property upon the death of the father (Num 27:1-11). Neh 3:13-15Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and a thousand cubits of the wall to the Refuse Gate. (14) Malchijah the son of Rechab, the official of the district of Beth-haccherem repaired the Refuse Gate. He built it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars. (15) Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, the official of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate. He built it, covered it and hung its doors with its bolts and its bars, and the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the king's garden as far as the steps that descend from the city of David. Zanoah was about thirteen miles southwest of Jerusalem and the thousand cubits (about 500 yards) was a long sector so they not only repaired the Valley Gate but also repaired a large section of the wall all the way to the Refuse Gate as seen on the attached map. It could also mean that the wall was not in great disrepair in that area allowing them to complete a large section. Beth-haccherem was the capital of a section of Judah but has not definitely identified. They repaired the Refuse Gate as they had to build it as well as hanging it properly with its bolts and bars. The district of Mizpah is different from the city of the same name and it had its own ruler. This Shallum is of a different family than the man with the same name in v. 12. He and his workers did a lot of work repairing the Fountain Gate (see on the attached map) since they had to build it and properly install it. They also repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah at the king’s garden. The City of David refers to the eastern hill that was the original City of David and was located at the south of the temple. Neh 3:16-22After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, official of half the district of Beth-zur, made repairs as far as a point opposite the tombs of David, and as far as the artificial pool and the house of the mighty men. (17) After him the Levites carried out repairs under Rehum the son of Bani. Next to him Hashabiah, the official of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. (18) After him their brothers carried out repairs under Bavvai the son of Henadad, official of the other half of the district of Keilah. (19) Next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the official of Mizpah, repaired another section in front of the ascent of the armory at the Angle. (20) After him Baruch the son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the Angle to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest. (21) After him Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz repaired another section, from the doorway of Eliashib's house even as far as the end of his house. (22) After him the priests, the men of the valley, carried out repairs. Continuing in a counterclockwise direction around the wall, we find Nehemiah who is a different person from the one who wrote this book. Beth-zur is a town south of Jerusalem marking a southern point of Judah. He made repairs on the wall to a point opposite the tombs of David as far as the artificial pool, both of which are shown on the map. The referenced house of the mighty men is not on the map but must be close to the pool. The Levites continued the work followed by Bavvai. Hashabiah is also referred to as Henadad. He was a Levite who was a ruler of his territory. The name Baruch means “blessed”. He worked zealously to repair another section of the wall. Meremoth repaired another section followed by the priests who did repairs apparently on the residence of the high priest along the eastern wall of the city. Neh 3:23-27After them Benjamin and Hasshub carried out repairs in front of their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, carried out repairs beside his house. (24) After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah as far as the Angle and as far as the corner. (25) Palal the son of Uzai 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 the son of Parosh made repairs. (26) The temple servants living in Ophel made repairs as far as the front of the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower. (27) After them the Tekoites repaired another section in front of the great projecting tower and as far as the wall of Ophel. In this section we see men working in areas near their houses until we get to the Water Gate that is seen on the map. These are places on the interior of the old wall as it must have been in too great a disrepair to be rebuilt. The location of the Angle is not known. The Great Projecting Tower and the wall of Ophel are on the map proceeding up from the Water Gate. Neh 3:28-32Above the Horse Gate the priests carried out repairs, each in front of his house. (29) After them Zadok the son of Immer carried out repairs in front of his house. And after him Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, carried out 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 carried out repairs in front of his own quarters. (31) After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, carried out 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 of the corner. (32) Between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants carried out repairs.We next see the Horse Gate on the map so we can see the area now worked by the priests who worked in front of their house. Shemaiah is said to be the keeper of the East Gate that is on the map and he repaired it. Hananiah then repaired another section carried out by Meshullam who repaired some of the wall in front of his house. The Inspection Gate is often referred to as the Muster Gate that is located on the map. At the top right of the map is the corner referred to in verse 31. After that group of workers we find the goldsmiths and merchants were given responsibility to repair the area all the way to the Sheep Gate. Having arrived at the starting point of verse 1, we then have finished the description of the repairs of the entire wall although it is not totally finished. Praise the Lord! At the bottom of this document we see a depiction of a view above the entire area and a picture of one view of the wall today with the Dome of the Rock in the background. ................
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