Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 12:38
And the other [company of them that gave] thanks went over against [them], and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall;
38. over against them] R.V. to meet them. The line of march of the other procession was by the northern wall. By an ingenious conjecture, Reuss, altering the Hebrew word (= to meet them) by the addition of one consonant, proposes to read ‘on the left hand,’ balancing the words in Neh 12:31.
and I after them ] Nehemiah, following the thanksgiving company of Levites and singers and musicians, marched, like Ezra, at the head of the other half of the princes and the people.
and the half, &c.] R.V. with the half, &c. The other half of the princes, priests, men of Judah and Benjamin, and musicians.
from beyond ] R.V. above. This seems to mean at a little distance from, i.e. to the north of (see, however, note on Neh 12:31).
the tower of the furnaces ] Cf. Neh 3:11.
even unto the broad wall ] Cf. Neh 3:8.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 38. The broad wall] What part this was, we know not: it might have been a place designed for a public promenade, or a parade for assembling the troops or guard of the temple.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Over against them, to wit, on the other side of the city, northward and eastward.
The broad wall; which they made thicker and stronger than the rest of the wall, for some special reason.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them,…. On the left hand, on the northern part of the wall:
and I after them; Nehemiah, he brought up the rear of his company, as Ezra led the van of his:
and the half of the people upon the wall; the chief of them, for all could not walk upon it:
from beyond the tower of the furnaces; where they baked their bread, or their bricks, see Ne 3:11,
even unto the broad wall; where the wall was broader than common, for some reason or another, see Ne 3:8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(38) The other company.Comparing the order with Nehemiah 3, the reader will have a clear view of the second company. They had the longer route, proceed. ing to the left, rounding the north broad wall, passing the sheep-gate, and so meeting the priestly company near the prison-gate. The space where they met had the Temple straight in front, the prison-gate on the right, and the water-gate on the left.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
38. The other went over against That is, on the opposite side of the city. As the first company went to the right, (Neh 12:31,) these went to the left, following the wall around, until both processions met near the water gate.
Tower of the furnaces broad wall See notes on Neh 3:8; Neh 3:11.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Two Companies Meet And Great Sacrifices Are Offered ( Neh 12:38-43 ).
The other procession was led by ‘those who gave thanks’ (the singers and musicians) followed by Nehemiah himself, leading the other half of the aristocrats, seven named leading priests and nine named leading Levites, exactly paralleling the first procession. This went northwards from the Valley Gate, following the west wall and then turning along the northern wall, until it reached the Sheep Gate from whence it would proceed to the Temple.
The fact that the company led by Nehemiah is given less prominence tends to confirm that we have here an extract from Nehemiah’s own record. Anyone else would surely have given him greater prominence.
Neh 12:38-39
‘And the other company of those who gave thanks went to meet them, and I after them, with the half of the people, upon the wall, above the tower of the furnaces, even to the broad wall, and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guard.’
The second procession was led by ‘those who gave thanks’ (the singers and musicians) who were followed by Nehemiah and ‘half the people’ (i.e. the aristocrats including priests and Levites – see Neh 12:40-42). These proceeded northward from the Valley Gate, past the Tower of the Furnaces (Ovens), reaching the Broad Wall. Then onwards past the Gate of Ephraim (not mentioned as rebuilt in chapter 3 and possibly therefor a ruin). Reaching the north-west corner they turned eastwards, and passed along the north wall by the Old Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of Hammeah, until they reached the Sheep Gate (for these compare Neh 3:1-11). They then proceeded to the gate of the guard. This was probably within the city giving entrance to ‘the court of the guard’ so well known as the place where Jeremiah was restrained (Jer 38:13; Jer 38:28). It was probably here that they awaited, and met up with, the first procession (they ‘stood still’ there), before proceeding to the Temple.
Neh 12:40
‘So stood the two companies of those who gave thanks in the house of God.’
The two companies were now united together for the purpose of giving thanks in the house of God. This was towards the end of a long day of continual worship. And there, in and around the outer court of the Temple, they worshipped YHWH because of all that He had done for them, and all that they believed that He was going to do for them. It would have been a time of great expectancy. And why should it not have been so? Jerusalem was now purified and defensible. It was ‘the holy city’, the city through which YHWH would do great things.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Neh 12:38-43
38The second choir proceeded to the left, while I followed them with half of the people on the wall, above the Tower of Furnaces, to the Broad Wall, 39and above the Gate of Ephraim, by the Old Gate, by the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped at the Gate of the Guard. 40Then the two choirs took their stand in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials with me; 41and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah, with the trumpets; 42and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam and Ezer. And the singers sang, with Jezrahiah their leader, 43and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Neh 12:38-43
Neh 12:38-43
NEHEMIAH HEADS THE PROCESSION AROUND THE WESTERN SECTION OF THE WALL
“The other company of those who gave thanks went to the left, and I followed them with half of the people, upon the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall, and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Old Gate, and by the Fish Gate; and the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard. So both companies of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half the officials with me; and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Minamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; and Maaseiah, Shemiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; and the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off.”
Any way it may be considered, this is a very remarkable narrative. The whole celebration is outlined in such a manner that one may visualize it even today. There was indeed a great joy in Jerusalem.
E.M. Zerr:
Neh 12:38-39. This group turned to the left and were spread along the wall as far as the prison gate, or guard gate.
Neh 12:40-43. Nehemiah was in the last named group, and both groups halted and all joined in song and praise to God for the great mercies he had given the people.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
other: Neh 12:31
tower: Neh 3:11
broad: Neh 3:8
Reciprocal: Ezr 2:33 – Hadid