Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 3:2
And next unto him built the men of Jericho. And next to them built Zaccur the son of Imri.
2. next unto him ] i.e. next to Eliashib and the priests. The description passing northward from the Temple, now turns west.
the men of Jericho ] Some suppose that this section of the wall lay sufficiently on the N.E. quarter to offer to ‘men of Jericho’ a convenient piece of work.
On the other hand, the term may only denote a clan of fellow-townsmen, who had held together during the exile and were known by this name after they had settled in Jerusalem. See Ezr 2:34.
to them ] R.V. marg. Heb. to him. Perhaps the Hebrew indicates here an abbreviation of or omission from the list. ‘Next to,’ here and in Neh 3:19 should have been rendered ‘next unto’ as elsewhere.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The people of each provincial town were set to work for the most part on the portion of the wall nearest their city. Thus, the men of Jericho, were employed at the northeast corner of Jerusalem.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The men of Jericho; the posterity of the ancient inhabitants of Jericho. See Ezr 2:34.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. next unto him builded the men ofJericho, c.The wall was divided into portions, one of whichwas assigned respectively to each of the great families which hadreturned from the captivity. This distribution, by which the buildingwas carried on in all parts simultaneously with great energy, waseminently favorable to despatch. “The villages where therestorers resided being mostly mentioned, it will be seen that thiscircumstance affords a general indication of the part of the wallupon which they labored, such places being on that side of the citynearest their place of abode the only apparent exception being,perhaps, where they repaired more than their piece. Having completedtheir first undertaking (if they worked any more), there being nomore work to be done on the side next their residence, or havingarrived after the repairs on that part of the city nearest them underoperation were completed, they would go wherever their services wouldbe required” [BARCLAY,City of the Great King].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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 men of Jericho.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Next unto him.At his hand, the customary phrase throughout the chapter, indicating the order of the building, which, however, involves some difficulty towards the close. The phrase, as first used, does honour to the high priest, who must be supposed to have presided only over the religious ceremonial.
The men of Jericho.At the point, it will be observed, opposite their own city.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Next unto him That is, next adjoining the work of Eliashib and the priests.
Men of Jericho Same as “children of Jericho” in Ezr 2:31. They were the returned exiles whose ancestral homes had been at Jericho, or who now were assigned to Jericho as their place of dwelling. These like the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah in Neh 3:7, seem to have worked on that side of the city which looked towards their places of abode.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And next to him built the men of Jericho.’
‘And next to him –’ is a feature of the next few verses up to Neh 3:12. From then on, a few verses having intervened, it is ‘after him –’ (Neh 3:16-31), although ‘next to him’ occurs in Neh 3:17; Neh 3:19. It has been suggested that ‘next to him’ indicated that they were following the line of previous walls, whereas ‘after him’ indicated a new line for the eastern wall at the top of the eastern ridge, a line made necessary by the rubble from the previous devastation. ‘Next to him’ in Neh 3:17; Neh 3:19 may be a deliberate attempt to indicate the closeness of the relationship of the Levites mentioned there.
‘The men of Jericho’ were among the returnees (Neh 7:36; Ezr 2:34) although there described as ‘the sons of Jericho’. They had now come to Jerusalem to assist in the building of the wall. This would be at no small sacrifice. It was clearly seen as important for the prestige of the whole area. The Jordan, by Jericho, may well have marked the eastern border of the new district of Judah.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
‘And next to them built Zaccur the son of Imri.’
Next to them built Zaccur, the son of Imri. He rebuilt the next section as far as the Fish Gate. Clearly Zaccur did not build on his own. This no doubt refers to him as including the fairly large household or wider family which were his as a prominent and comparatively wealthy man. His whole wider family would be involved in building. It was possibly this Zaccur who was a sealant of Nehemiah’s covenant (Neh 10:12), in which case he was a Levite, and probably identifiable with the father of Hanan (Neh 13:13).
Zaccur was a fairly common Jewish name, previously being that of the father of Shammua the Reubenite spy (Num 13:4); of a Simeonite (1Ch 4:26); and of two other Levites: (a) a Merarite (1Ch 24:27); and (b) a “son” of Asaph (1Ch 25:2; 1Ch 25:10; Neh 12:35).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
(2) And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri. (3) But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. (4) And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana.
The relation here made, seems to be with a design to manifest the cheerfulness of the people in the services. No doubt the Lord inclined their heart. When Jesus our High-Priest goeth before us by his Spirit, he will incline believers to follow.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Neh 3:2 And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.
Ver. 2. And next unto him builded the men of Jericho ] And are thereby here eternalized for their forwardness.
Claros inter, habent nomina clara, vires.
They have fame among men of fame. Though they dwelt farthest off, yet they were of the first that came to work. Jericho was the first city that Joshua overthrew for their wickedness, and cursed him that should rebuild it. Now it is the first that comes to help forward this city of God. So great is the change when God turneth people’s hearts. Our fathers were as barbarous and brutish as the very Scythians; their religion was a mere irreligion and worse till Christ came among us, and gave us the pre-eminence. For besides that England was the first of all the provinces that publicly received the gospel (as saith Sabellicus), our Constantine hath been reckoned the first Christian emperor, our Lucius the first christened king, and our Henry VIII the first that brake the neck of the pope’s usurped authority. As we were the first that submitted to that man of sin, so were we among the first that cast him off again; and although we are penitus toto divisi orbe Britanni (Lucan.), yet we have been hitherto famous all the world over for our faith and forwardness in God’s service; though of late we have run retrograde, to the reproach of our nation. Diogenes in a great assembly going backward on purpose, and seeing every one laughing him to scorn, asked them aloud, if they were not ashamed so to do: since he went backwards but once, when they did so continually. Oh, let it not be said of us, as once of Jerusalem, that we are “slidden back by a perpetual backsliding, that we hold fast deceit, and refuse to return,” Jer 8:5 . This is to be worse than wicked Jericho, &c.
Builded Zaccur
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
next unto him = at his hand.
the men of Jericho. Compare Ezr 2:34. The gate opposite to their city. Hebrew. ‘enosh. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
next unto him: Heb. at his hand
the men: Neh 7:36, Ezr 2:34
Zaccur: Neh 10:12
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 3:2-3. The men of Jericho The posterity of the ancient inhabitants of Jericho. The fish-gate This gate, being on the north-west side of Jerusalem, looked toward the sea, from whence fish was wont to be brought and sold in the fish-market near this gate.