The Remnant in Jerusalem
Neh. 3
HERE we have a suggestive, refreshing, and instructive account of the work in detail, when God's servants arose to build the wall of Jerusalem.
“And Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; and sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Hammeah they sanctified it, unto the tower Hananel. And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.
“And the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof. And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.
“And the old gate repaired Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the bolts thereof. And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, which appertained to the throne of the governor beyond the river. Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths. And next unto him repaired Hananiah of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem even unto the broad wall. And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem. And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even 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.
“The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the in habitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits of the wall unto the dung gate.
“And the dung gate repaired Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth haccherem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, and the bolts thereof, and bars thereof.
“And the fountain gate repaired Shallun the son of Col-hozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king's garden, even unto the stairs that go down from the city of David. After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth-zur unto the place over against the sepulchers of David, and unto the pool that was made, and unto the house of the mighty men. After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, for his district. After him repaired their brethren, Bavvai the son of Henadad, the ruler of half the district of Keilah. And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another portion, over against the going up to the armory at the turning [of the wall]. After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired another portion, from the turning of the wall unto the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. After him repaired Meremoth the son of, Hakkoz another portion, from the door of the house” of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib. And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain. After them repaired Benjamin and Hasshub over against their house. After them repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of. Ananiah beside his own house. After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another portion, from the house of Azariah unto the turning [of the wall], and unto the corner. Palal the son of Uzai repaired over against the turning [of the wall], and the tower that standeth out from the upper house of the king, which is by the court of the prison. After him Bedaiah the son of Parosh repaired. (Now the Nethinim dwelt in Ophel, unto the place against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that standeth out.) After him the Tekoites repaired another portion, over against the great tower that standeth out, and unto the wall of Ophel.
“Above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his own house. After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his own house. And after him repaired Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate. After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiab, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another portion. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber. After him repaired Malchijah of the goldsmiths unto one house of the Nethinim, and of the merchants, over against the gate of Hammiphkad, and to the ascent of the corner. And between the ascent of the corner and the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants” (vers. 1-32).
The earliest to undertake the work were the first in dignity as became them, the high priest and his brethren. They did not plead their holy charge to absolve them from the new duty, but applied themselves without delay: characteristically is it added, twice that they “sanctified” their work! It was combat. The next in order are to be remarked, because they belonged to Jericho; yet did they devote themselves to the work of Jerusalem. Nothing beyond his building attaches to Zaccur that follows.
Much fuller is the account of the work done by the sons of Hassenaah (or Senaah) for the fish gate on the north; next to whom repaired Meremoth, who is the first to be noticed again (ver. 21) for repairing another piece from the door to the end of the high priest's house. Of Meshullam and Zadok no more is mentioned than their work respectively. But the Tekoites appear not only here but again in ver. 27; and their zeal is the more pleasant to observe, as their nobles have the bar sinister of not putting “their necks to the work of their Lord.” Compare Eph. 6:99And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. (Ephesians 6:9), Col. 4:11Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. (Colossians 4:1). We may note that Tekoah was a dozen miles from Jerusalem.
The old gate was a little below in the west; and there we have the joint repair of Jehoiada and another Meshullam, whose work is fully described. Next to them wrought not only two, Melatiah and Jadon, with their local titles away from Jerusalem, but the men of Gideon and of Mizpah, “to the throne of the governor (pacha) on this side the river.” Next, we hear of Uzziel, and then Hananiah, respectively of the goldsmiths and of the perfumers or apothecaries, who wrought as far as the broad wall on the west. It is interesting to read next of Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem; whereas next was Jedaiah repairing over against his house. Then come Hattush, and next Malchijah and Hasshub repaired another piece and the tower of the furnaces. Last in this group repaired Shallum, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem he and his daughters, a new and marked feature.
The valley gate in the S.W. was repaired by Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah, which was a town of Judah, and thus away from Jerusalem. Their work is carefully defined.
The dung gate was on the S.E. and repaired by Malchijah, son of Rechab, chief of the district of Beth-haccherem, near Tekoah; and here again grace shone.
So the fountain gate, a little north of that on the east, was repaired by Shallun, son of Col-hozeh, chief of the district of Mizpah; which as it figured before in ver. 7 does here in ver. 15, and again in ver. 19, toward the wall. After him appears a Nehemiah, son of Azbuk, chief of half the district of Beth-zur in the south of Judah. Then we are told of Levite labors, Rehum; and of Hashabiah, chief of the half district of Keilah, and of Bavvai in a similar position. Next, repaired Ezer, son of Joshua, ruler of Mizpah, a second piece as already noticed. After him we have Baruch, son of Zabbai, named with marked honor for “earnestly” repairing a second piece, after whom follows the Meremoth of ver. 4 again found zealous. Then the priests are mentioned, the men of the plain (or circle of the Jordan). These are followed by the repairs of Benjamin and Hasshub of Azariah, of Binnui, of Palal, and of Pedaiah; then the Tekoites, repairing again, are referred to; and once more the priests above them, every one over against his own house. Then follow Zadok, Shemaiah, Hananiah; then Hanun described as a sixth son of Zalaph for a second piece. Where were the five? Did none come but this one to glorify God in this work? Next, in ver. 30, we hear of Meshullam again (see ver. 4) repairing over against his chamber; and Malchijah of the goldsmiths over against the gate Miphkad, as the goldsmiths generally and the dealers repaired round to the sheep gate, whence the building began.
It is the counterpart in the O.T to the early half of Rom. 16, and other scriptures of the New.