The ruler of the half part of Jerusalem . Compare Nehemiah 3:11 . The city itself does not seem to be intended, but rather the territory outside which was considered to belong to the city. This was divided into two portions, under two "princes" or "rulers," Rephaiah and Shallum. read more
Malchijah and Hashub , who are here said to have repaired, not the other piece , but "a second piece"of the wall, have not been previously mentioned in our present text; whence it has been concluded with reason (Bertheau) that the text is defective, some whole verses having fallen out (comp. Nehemiah 3:20 ). The tower of the furnaces is mentioned again in Nehemiah 12:38 . Its exact position cannot be fixed. read more
He and his daughters . It seems to be almost impossible that women were pressed into the service, especially when it was one of so much danger ( Nehemiah 4:13-21 ). By "daughters" we must therefore understand the villages contained in Shallum's district, which is agreeable to the use of the term in Nehemiah 11:25 , Nehemiah 11:27 , Nehemiah 11:28 . read more
Family zeal in good work. "He and his daughters." Some take "daughters" here in the sense which it bears in Nehemiah 11:25 , Nehemiah 11:27 , viz; "villages (regarded as the daughters of the town or district to which they belong), and would read, "it" ( i.e. the half-part, or district, of Jerusalem) "and its villages." If, however, we take the word "daughters" in the sense of women, they present us an instance of a father and his daughters uniting in a good work. Probably the... read more
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. read more
Unto the throne ... - The meaning is thought to be “the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, who, though they worked for Nehemiah, were not under his government, but belonged to the jurisdiction of the governor on this side the river.” read more
The other piece - Rather, “another piece” (as in Nehemiah 3:19, Nehemiah 3:21, Nehemiah 3:27, Nehemiah 3:30). It is conjectured that a verse has fallen out in which Malchijah’s and Hashub’s “first piece” was mentioned.The tower of the furnaces - Either a tower at the northwestern angle of the city; or, midway in the western wall. The origin of the name is uncertain. read more
Nehemiah 3:7. Unto the throne of the governor on this side the river Unto the place where the governor of the country on this side Euphrates, under the Persian kings, sometimes had a palace or throne. read more
Nehemiah 3:8. Next unto him repaired Uzziel; also Hananiah These were two eminent persons, one among the workers or casters of gold, the other among the perfumers. They fortified Jerusalem, &c., unto the broad wall It is not said, they repaired, but, they fortified it, either because this part of the wall was less demolished than the other, and therefore they needed not to repair it, but only to make it stronger; or, to note their extraordinary care and diligence, that they would... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 3:8
Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries . Or "the son of Harak-kashim." They fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall. The Septuagint has κατέλιπον , "they left," and the Vulgate dimiserunt in the same sense, which is given also as an alternative rendering by our translators, in the margin. And no doubt the verb עזב has this for one of its meanings. But the clause has thus no satisfactory sense. That עזב is used for "to fortify" by Nehemiah is plain from Nehemiah 4:2 ,... read more