Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 3:6
Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
6. Moreover the old gate ] R.V. And the old gate. Marg. ‘Or, the gate of the old city or, of the old wall.’ Literally rendered the words are ‘And the gate of the old,’ so that there is some uncertainty which word we should supply. From the mention of the same gate elsewhere (Neh 12:39) we gather that it stood between the ‘fish gate’ and the ‘gate of Ephraim,’ and is possibly the same as the ‘corner gate’ (2Ki 14:13) which Zechariah calls ‘the first gate’ (Zec 14:10). On the N. side the ground being more level the city would naturally extend itself in this direction. The gate possibly derived its name from being the entrance to the old city. Prof. Robertson Smith (Art. Jerusalem, Enc. Brit.) says: ‘For obvious engineering reasons the eminence at the N.W. of the Haram area must always have been a principal point in the fortifications, and here the old gate may very well have been placed.’ The ‘gate of the old wall’ is a less likely appellation. In one sense every gate that was restored was a gate of the old wall. If ‘the old wall’ was a part of an ancient or disused rampart, it would not have been a portion included in this description. When the fortifications coincided with an earlier and thicker wall, it was called ‘the broad wall’ (Neh 3:8).
Jehoiada ] R.V. Joiada.
they laid the beams, &c.] See on Neh 3:3.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The old gate – Either the modern Damascus gate, the main entrance to the city on the north side; or a gate a little further eastward.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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 a thinks it is the same with the second or third gate, Zep 1:10. According to Vatablus, it was the gate of the old pool, Isa 22:11, or rather, perhaps, it was the gate of the old wall Josephus speaks of b; it led to the north of the land:
they laid the beams thereof; as in Ne 3:3.
a Ut supra. (Chorograph. Cent. of the Land of Israel, c. 26. p. 27. vol. 2.) b De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 2, 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
From the gate of the old wall to the valley gate. – Neh 3:6 does not mean the old gate, for is genitive. Schultz ( Jerus. p. 90), Thenius, and Bertheau supply , gate of the old town, and explain the name from the fact that Bezetha, the new town, already existed as a suburb or village in front of the gate, which was named after the contrast. To this Arnold rightly objects (in Herzog’s Realencycl. xviii. p. 628) that it is by no means proved that there was at that time any contrast between the old and new towns, and as well as Hupfeld ( die topograph. Streitfragen ber Jerus., in the morgenl. Zeitschrift, xv. p. 231) supplies : gate of the old wall. He does not, however, derive this designation from the remark (vv. Neh 3:8), “They fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall,” as though this old wall received its name from having been left undestroyed by the Chaldeans, which is irreconcilable with the fact (4-8) that both the gate of the old wall and the portions of wall adjoining it on each side were now built, but understands the term “old wall” as used in contrast to the “broad wall,” which had indeed been rebuilt after the destruction by Joash (2Ki 14:13). This view we esteem to be correct. The individuals specified as the builders of this gate are not further known. That two principes were employed in the rebuilding of this gate is explained by Ramb. as arising vel quod penitus disturbata a Chaldaeis, vel quod magnis sumtibus reparanda fuit, quos unus princeps ferre non potuit .
Neh 3:7 Next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah. If Melatiah is to be regarded as the superintendent of the men of Gibeon, Jadon the Meronothite must be equally esteemed that of the men of Mizpah. Meronoth, mentioned only here and 1Ch 27:30, must have been some small place near Mizpah. Mizpah ( , the watch-tower) is probably the modern Nebi Samwil, two leagues to the north-east of Jerusalem; see rem. on Jos 19:26. The meaning of the words next following, , is questionable. Bertheau, together with Osiander, Cler., de Wette, and others, understands them as more precisely defining the men before named, as men of Gibeon and Mizpah, of the throne or belonging to the throne of the Pechah of Eber hannahar. This addition brings to light the fact that Jews who were not under the jurisdiction of Nehemiah, nevertheless took part in the restoration of the wall. It also distinguishes these men of Mizpah from those mentioned Neh 3:15 and Neh 3:19, who were certainly not under the Pechah of Eber hannahar. Finally, the boundary of the little territory of the returned Jewish community must have been at about Mizpah and Gibeon; and a statement that certain inhabitants of this district were not under the Pechah of Jerusalem, but under the Pechah of the province west of Euphrates, would agree with the position of Gibeon and Mizpah. None, however, of these reasons are of much force. For if, according to Neh 3:5 and Neh 3:27, the Tekoites repaired two different lengths of wall, without this fact implying any distinction between these two parties of Tekoite builders, the same may be the case with the men of Gibeon and Mizpah. Besides, neither in this verse nor in Neh 3:15 and Neh 3:19 are the men of Mizpah in general spoken of, so as to make a distinction necessary; for in this verse two chiefs, Melatiah and Jadon, are designated as men of Gibeon and Mizpah, and in Neh 3:15 and Neh 3:19 two rulers of the district of Mizpah are specified by name. Hence the view that part of the inhabitants of Mizpah were under the jurisdiction of the Pechah of the province west of Euphrates, and part under that of the Pechah of Jerusalem, is devoid of probability. Finally, there is no adequate analogy for the metonomy set up in support of this view, viz., that , a seat, a throne, stands for jurisdiction. The words in question can have only a local signification. may indeed by metonomy be used for the official residence, but not for the official or judicial district, or jurisdiction of the Pechah. does not state the point to which, but the direction or locality in which, these persons repaired the wall: “towards the seat of the Pechah,” i.e., at the place where the court or tribunal of the governor placed over the province on this side Euphrates was held when he came to Jerusalem to administer justice, or to perform any other official duties required of him. This being so, it appears from this verse that this court was within the northern wall, and undoubtedly near a gate.
Neh 3:8 Next to him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah of the goldsmiths, and next to him repaired Hananiah, a son of the apothecaries. is in explanatory apposition to the name Uzziel, and the plural is used to denote that his fellow-artisans worked with him under his direction. Hananiah is called , son of the apothecaries, i.e., belonging to the guild of apothecaries. The obscure words, , “and they left Jerusalem unto the broad wall,” have been variously interpreted. From Neh 12:38, where the broad wall is also mentioned, it appears that a length of wall between the tower of the furnaces and the gate of Ephraim was thus named, and not merely a place in the wall distinguished for its breadth, either because it stood out or formed a corner, as Bertheau supposes; for the reason adduced for this opinion, viz., that it is not said that the procession went along the broad wall, depends upon a mistaken interpretation of the passage cited. The expression “the broad wall” denotes a further length of wall; and as this lay, according to Neh 12:38, west of the gate of Ephraim, the conjecture forces itself upon us, that the broad wall was that 400 cubits of the wall of Jerusalem, broken down by the Israelite king Joash, from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate (2Ki 14:13), and afterwards rebuilt by Uzziel of a greater breadth, and consequently of increased strength (Joseph. Antiq. ix. 10. 3). Now the gate of Ephraim not being mentioned among the rebuilt gates, and this gate nevertheless existing (according to Neh 8:16) in the days of Nehemiah, the reason of this omission must be the circumstance that it was left standing when the wall of Jerusalem was destroyed. The remark, then, in this verse seems to say the same concerning the broad wall, whether we understand it to mean: the builders left Jerusalem untouched as far as the broad wall, because this place as well as the adjoining gate of Ephraim needed no restoration; or: the Chaldeans had here left Jerusalem, i.e., either the town or town-wall, standing. So Hupfeld in his above-cited work, p. 231; Arnold; and even older expositors.
(Note: Bertheau’s interpretation of this statement, viz., that at the rebuilding and re-fortification of the town after the captivity, the part of the town extending to the broad wall was left, i.e., was not rebuilt, but delayed for the present, answers neither to the verbal sense of the passage nor to the particular mentioned Neh 12:38, that at the dedication of the wall the second company of them that gave thanks went upon the wall from beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall, and over from beyond the gate of Ephraim, etc. Haneberg (in Reusch’s theol. Literaturbl. 1869, No. 12) supports this view, but understands by “the broad wall” the wall which had a broad circuit, i.e., the wall previous to the captivity, and hence infers that the Jerusalem now rebuilt was not equal in extent to the old city. But if a portion of the former city had here been left outside the new wall, the gate of Ephraim would have been displaced, and must have been rebuilt elsewhere in a position to the south of the old gate. Still less can the attempt of the elder Buxtorf (Lexic. talm. rabb. s. v. ), now revived by Ewald (Gesch. iv. p. 174), to force upon the word the meaning restaurare, or fortify, be justified.)
Neh 3:9-10 Further lengths of wall were built by Rephaiah ben Hur, the ruler of the half district of Jerusalem, i.e., of the district of country belonging to Jerusalem (comp. Neh 3:19 with Neh 3:15, where Mizpah and the district of Mizpah are distinguished); by Jedaiah ben Harumaph, , and indeed before (opposite) his house, i.e., the portion of wall which lay opposite his own dwelling; and by Hattush the son of Hashabniah. Whether Hattush is to be identified with the priest of this name (Neh 10:5), or with the similarly named descendant of David (Ezr 8:2), or with neither, cannot be determined.
Neh 3:11 A second section of wall was repaired by Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashshub ben Pahath-Moab, two families who came up with Zerubbabel, Ezr 2:6 and Ezr 2:32. Bertheau understands of a second section of wall added to a first already repaired by the same builders. So, too, he says, did Meremoth ben Urijah build one portion, Neh 3:4, and a second, Neh 3:21; comp. Neh 3:5 and Neh 3:27, Neh 3:15 and Neh 3:19, Neh 3:8 and Neh 3:30. This first portion, however, which this mention of a second presupposes, not being named, he infers that our present text has not preserved its original completeness, and thinks it probable, from Neh 12:38 and Neh 12:39, that certain statements, in this description, relating to the gate of Ephraim and its neighbourhood, which once stood before Neh 3:8, have been omitted. This inference is unfounded. The non-mention of the gate of Ephraim is to be ascribed, as we have already remarked on Neh 3:8, to other reasons than the incompleteness of the text; and the assertion that assumes that a former portion was repaired by the same builders, receives no support from a comparison of Neh 3:5 with Neh 3:27, Neh 3:15 with Neh 3:19, and Neh 3:8 with Neh 3:30. Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, who, according to Neh 3:30, built , are not identical with Hananiah the son of the apothecaries, Neh 3:8. The same remark applies to Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah (Neh 3:19), and Shallum the ruler of the district of Mizpah (Neh 3:15). Only in Neh 3:5 and Neh 3:27, and Neh 3:4 and Neh 3:21, are the names of the builders the same. Moreover, besides Neh 3:21 and Neh 3:27, occurs five times more (Neh 3:11, Neh 3:19, Neh 3:20, Neh 3:24, and Neh 3:30) with respect to builders not previously (nor subsequently) mentioned in this list. Hence, in five different places, the names of the building parties, and the notices of the portions of wall built by them respectively, must have been lost, – a circumstance priori incredible. When, however, we consider the verses, in which occurs, more closely, the second length is, in Neh 3:19, Neh 3:20, Neh 3:21, Neh 3:24, and Neh 3:27, more nearly defined by a statement of locality: thus, in Neh 3:19, we have a second piece over against the ascent to the arsenal at the angle; in Neh 3:20, a second piece from the angle to the door of the house of Eliashib; in Neh 3:21, a second piece from the door of the house of Eliashib to … ; in Neh 3:24, a second piece from the house of Azariah to … , who, according to Neh 3:23, built near his own house; in Neh 3:27, a second piece over against the great projecting tower … , as far as which, according to Neh 3:26, the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel. From all this, it is evident that in these verses, always denotes a second portion of that length of wall previously spoken of, or a portion next to that of which the building was previously mentioned. And so must be understood in the present Neh 3:11, where it is used because Malchiah and Hashshub repaired or built the tower of the furnaces, besides the portion of wall. may be rendered, “another or a further piece.” the word is chosen, because that previously mentioned is regarded as a first. The tower of the furnaces lay, according to this verse and Neh 12:38, where alone it is again mentioned, between the broad wall and the valley-gate. Now, since there was between the gate of Ephraim and the corner-gate a portion of wall four hundred cubits long (see 2Ki 14:13), which, as has been above remarked, went by the name of the broad wall, it is plain that the tower of the furnaces must be sought for in the neighbourhood of the corner-gate, or perhaps even identified with it. This is the simplest way of accounting for the omission of any notice in the present description of this gate, which is mentioned not merely before ( 2Ch 26:9; Jer 31:38; and 2Ki 14:13), but also after, the captivity (Zec 14:10). It is probable that the tower of the furnaces served as a defence for the corner-gate at the north-western corner of the town, where now lie, upon an earlier building of large stones with morticed edges, probably a fragment of the old Jewish wall, the ruins of the ancient Kal’at el Dshalud (tower of Goliath), which might, at the time of the Crusades, have formed the corner bastion of the city: comp. Rob. Palestine, ii. p. 114; Biblical Researches, p. 252; and Tobler, Topogr. i. p. 67f.
Neh 3:12 Next repaired Shallum, ruler of the other (comp. Neh 3:9) half district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters. can only refer to Shallum, not to , which would make the daughters signify the daughters of the district, of the villages and places in the district.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(6) The old gate.Not mentioned elsewhere: probably that of Damascus; but (by a conjectural addition to the text,) it has been translated the gate of the old wall, as if distinguished from the broad wall.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. The old gate Its location can now be fixed only by conjecture. It seems to have been in the northern wall, and probably near the northeastern corner of the city. See plan.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the gate of the old (city or wall). They laid its beams, and set up its doors, and its bolts, and its bars.’
The next gate following the Fish Gate was the ‘gate of the old’, that is, either of the old city or of the old wall. It was jointly repaired by Joiada ben-Paseah and Meshullam ben-Besodeia and their families. Both were popular Jewish names. A son of Eliashib the High Priest was also called Joiada. The gateway and the gatehouses would be repaired first, with the beams being put in place ready for the gates, then later on (after Neh 6:1) the gates with their bolts and bars would be hung. Note that once again trusting in God does not prevent the need for bolts and bars. We are not called on to be foolish. This gate was near the north-west corner of the city.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Neh 3:6 Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
Ver. 6. Moreover the old gate ] Famous only for its antiquity; like as many old books are monumenta adorandae robiginis, of more antiquity than authority; and as that image at Ephesus, that was said, but falsely, to have fallen down from Jupiter ( D ), so the covetous priests persuaded the credulous people, Act 19:35 . The Rabbis say, that this was a gate ever since the time that David took Zion from the Jebusites, Quis hoc credat, nisi sit pro teste vetustas? Who would believe this unless he winessed it?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Neh 3:6-12
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. 7Next 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. 8Next 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. 9Next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. 10Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs. 11Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of Furnaces. 12Next to him Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the official of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters.
Neh 3:6 the Old Gate The Jerusalem Bible calls this the Gate of New Quarter (corruption of Mishneh, cf. Zep 1:10), while some translations simply use the Hebrew term Jeshanah, which is a village north of Jerusalem (cf. 2Ch 13:19). It was possibly on the northwest corner of the newly enclosed city. The root can also mean old) (BDB 445). The Old Gate or Jeshanah Gate is synonymous with the Ephraim Gate of Neh 12:39.
Neh 3:7 the men of Gibeon and Mizpah These cities were about 4 or 5 miles north of Jerusalem.
NASBrepairs for the official seat of the governor
NKJVrepaired the residence of the governor
NRSVwho were under the jurisdiction of the governor
TEVbuilt the next section, as far as the residence of the governor
NJBrepairs for the sake of the governor
Literally this is to the throne of the governor. Since the context is about the wall, this must refer to the wall which was connected to the satrap’s official residence in Jerusalem.
If you take throne in the sense of power (NASB 1970 marginal note) then the phrase becomes metaphorical for authority (NET, jurisdiction). Why the men in cities just four or five miles away were under another governor’s authority is unexplainable unless the boundaries of Judah were close.
the province beyond the River This was the official Persian title for the land of Syria and Palestine. The river referred to the Euphrates.
Neh 3:8 the goldsmiths. . .the perfumers This chapter is divided between those of (1) certain professions, (2) certain cities, and (3) certain families who rebuilt certain sections of the wall. This also shows the presence of commercial guilds at this period in the life of the Jewish nation.
NASBrestored
NKJV, NRSVmade repairs
TEVbuilt
NJBrenovated
The BDB 738 II and KB 807 relate this term to the root for repair or restore from a Ugaritic root. The question remains, Did the workers build a new wall or repair a damaged one? The answer is they did both. Part of the old wall was repaired, but another part took a new and shorter route down a commercial street.
The Septuagint understands this term as being from the Hebrew root to abandon (BDB 736), therefore, denotes a change in the location of the new wall.
the Broad Wall This refers to the wall on the west side (cf. Neh 12:38). This same ter (BDB 932) describes the thick wall of the city of Babylon in Jer 51:58.
Neh 3:9
NASBthe official of half the district of Jerusalem
NKJVleader of half the district of Jerusalem
NRSVrule of half the district of Jerusalem
TEVrule of half of the Jerusalem district
NJBwho was head of one half of the district of Jerusalem
The term official (BDB 978) is the Hebrew rosh, which means chief, head, official, captain, prince. Apparently this was the foreman for a work crew (cf. made repairs, Neh 3:9; Neh 3:12). Persian documents reveal that they used several layers of administrative officials (cf. Neh 3:12; Neh 3:16-19).
The term district (BDB 813) means circle or circuit. The Rotherhams’ Emphasized Bible has ruler of a half-circuit. This could refer to an area of land around Jerusalem. The term in Assyrian means a district and this is how it is consistently used in the OT. Each section of the project was further divided into two work crews with its own foreman.
Neh 3:10 made repairs opposite his house This is another example that Nehemiah assigned sections of the wall to those who had some personal interest in its repair.
Neh 3:11 Malchijah the son of Harim The name means My king is YHWH (BDB 575). There are several people by this name in the OT. However, it is probable that the same son and father mentioned in Ezr 10:31 is the same person as mentioned here (cf. Maremoth son of Uriah, Ezr 8:33; Neh 3:4).
the Tower of Furnaces This is another example of certain professions (i.e., perfumers, bakers) locating in the same area (i.e., baker’s street, cf. Jer 37:21). Apparently the relocated wall ran down a commercial street. Those doing business on that street helped build the wall close to their business.
another section This shows the partial nature of this listing of repairs because the first section is never mentioned. This same unusual construction is seen in Neh 3:11; Neh 3:19-21; Neh 3:24; Neh 3:30.
Neh 3:12 Hallohesh The term or name (BDB 538) occurs only here and means whisperer. Some commentators see this as a reference to a family of diviners (cf. Psa 58:5 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 4, pp. 696-697), but this seems impossible at a time of such fervor for the Law of God. The same term is used of whispering in prayer in Isa 26:16.
he and his daughters It is unusual in this culture that this man’s daughters would help him in manual labor. It is so unusual that it is specifically stated!
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
old gate. See note on Neh 2:13, and App-59.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Neh 3:6-12
Neh 3:6-12
LIST OF THE FOREMEN WHO REPAIRED THE OLD GATE
“And the old gate repaired Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullum the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereoff and set up the doors thereof, and the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof. And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, that appertained to the throne of the governor beyond the River. Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths. And next unto them repaired Hananiah one of the perfumers, and they fortified Jerusalem even unto the broad wall. And next unto them repaired Rephaih the son of Hur, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem. And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, over against his house. And next unto him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabneiah. Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired another portion, and the tower of the furnaces. And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.”
Critics attempting to make this chapter some kind of an interpolation claim that, “It is intent upon underscoring the role of the clergy in the rebuilding of the wall.” However, no such intention is evident in this chapter. On the other hand, the focus is not upon the clergy at all, but upon the fact that EVERYBODY engaged in the work. “All classes participated in the project, including priests (Neh 3:1), goldsmiths and perfumers (Neh 3:8), rulers of the city and even women (Neh 3:12), also Levites (Neh 3:17) and merchants (Neh 3:32).” Where is there any emphasis on the clergy in all that?
Not merely the population of Jerusalem engaged in this project, but their fellow-countrymen who lived throughout the area. “These included the men of Jericho (Neh 3:2), the Tekoites (Neh 3:5), the men of Gibeon and Mizpah (Neh 3:7), the inhabitants of Zanoah (Neh 3:13), those who lived in the district of Bethzur (Neh 3:16), those in Keilah (Neh 3:17), and the men of the Plain, the Jordan valley (Neh 3:22).” Again, we must ask, “Where is there any special emphasis upon the clergy in this chapter”?
Another factor that ties this chapter irrevocably to the person of Nehemiah is the frequent mention of the great beams used for the doors of the various gates. Only Nehemiah had the king’s permission to bring these, presumably from the forest of Lebanon; and it was therefore the men directly obedient to the orders of Nehemiah who delivered these great timbers to the various locations. The fact of Nehemiah’s name not being mentioned in these verses is of no importance whatever.
E.M. Zerr:
Neh 3:6. We have no information especially applicable to the old gate. It was doubtless so called because it was among the first to be built, and made on the general requirement for gates. Two men, Jehoiada and Meshullam were assigned this old gate.
Neh 3:7. A throne does not always signifiy the place of a monarch. The original word here is also translated by seat and stool. It means the headquarters of the man who was the governor of the province. It was near the wall and the persons named worked on that span of it that extended between this seat and the old gate.
Neh 3:8. The wall was evidently heavier or broader in some places than in others. Such parts would need no special fortification, but would be a fortification in itself. The tradesmen mentioned in this verse added certain fortifications to their repair of the wall, until it reached to the broad wall as stated above.
Neh 3:9. A ruler of the kind mentioned here does not mean specifically an official in the ordinary sense of the word. It is from SAR and Strong defines it, “a head person (of any rank of class).” It has been rendered by captain, chief, general, governor, keeper, lord, master, prince and steward. The meaning is, this man had a high prestige over one half of the city. It would be significant, therefore, that such a man contributed to the humble work of rebuilding the wall, consisting of manual labor.
Neh 3:10. Jedaiah lived either within the limits of Jerusalem, or near it on the outside. He was assigned that part of the wall near his house.
Neh 3:11. Malchijah repaired the other piece. That means the second section of the part that was repaired by Hattush in the preceding verse. One of the towers described previously in this chapter was near the furnaces or ovens. That would be an important point because of its connection with the provisions for the tables. It was necessary, therefore, that one of these fortifications be near these ovens.
Neh 3:12. Neh 3:9 told of one man with certain influences over half of the city. This verse tells of the other half of the city under a like oversight, represented by Shallum and his daughter.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Neh 12:39
Reciprocal: Ezr 10:15 – Meshullam Neh 3:3 – the beams Neh 6:1 – at that time Neh 10:7 – Meshullam