Chapter 3 teaches us about the rebuilding process and holds some deeply applicable truths for us as believers. There are many people names and gate names, and it serves as a reminder that no person or task is insignificant from God’s purview. You are seen. You are loved. You are enough.
Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel. 2 Next to Eliashib the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
In this chapter, you’re going to read many names of people and gates. The gates were the entrances into the city of Jerusalem. Notice that out of all the places they could have started rebuilding, they began at the Sheep Gate, and the priests were responsible for rebuilding it.
First, the Sheep Gate was the gate the sheep and sacrifices came through to the temple. We know from John 5, it was near a pool that was known for its healing powers. The Sheep Gate was a sacred entrance and one of the few gates we have context around. This gate was consecrated (set apart) because it served a specific purpose – to usher in sanctification and purification for God’s people. Because of its holiness, it made sense that the priests should repair its structure.
A point to ponder: there’s no Biblical reference to this, and it came to mind while I was reading John 10 (about the Good Shepherd). Still, I wonder if Jesus walked through this very gate as He entered Jerusalem before Passover. Thousands of sheep were ushered through the Sheep Gate to be sacrificed, but when it was Jesus’ time, He passed through a city gate as the Lamb and became the Way (“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” John 10:9).
3 Also the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. 4 And next to them Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, made repairs. Next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok the son of Baana made repairs. 5 Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord.
“They laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.” You will see this phrase repeatedly throughout this chapter. There were necessary things that needed to be done for a solid structure to take form, and the same is true for our lives spiritually. Staying in the Word, staying in prayer, and staying in fellowship with other believers are those beams, bolts, and bars that our lives need! What good is a door if it’s not adequately hinged?
In 2 Corinthians 8:11, Paul encourages the Corinthians to complete their work in the Lord by saying: “Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.”
Again, I love the idea of the beams, bolts, and bars (the three b’s of the Bible!) in this chapter. This level of detail is mentioned in the building process because Nehemiah wanted us to understand that they weren’t just building half-heartedly or to “get it done.” They were genuinely completing it and completing it well.
“…but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord.” Again, this can be so true in our spiritual lives. When the Lord calls us, we can’t just stand around and watch everyone else get busy.
Verse 5 refers to that of a yoked animal. Essentially, it’s saying that the Tekoite nobles refused to fall under the authority or submission of God. It is a tragedy to have such a beautiful, corporate purpose yet still refuse to bow your knee.
Below is the list of names, their tasks, and the gates I forewarned you about. You can do this!
6 Moreover Jehoiada 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 bars. 7 And next to them Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, repaired the residence of the governor of the region beyond the River. 8 Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. Also next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs; and they fortified Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9 And next to them Rephaiah the son of Hur, leader of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs. 10 Next to them Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs in front of his house. And next to him Hattush the son of Hashabniah made repairs.
11 Malchijah the son of Harim and Hashub the son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section, as well as the Tower of the Ovens. 12 And next to him was Shallum the son of Hallohesh, leader of half the district of Jerusalem; he and his daughters made repairs.
13 Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They built it, hung its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Refuse Gate.
14 Malchijah the son of Rechab, leader of the district of Beth Haccerem, repaired the Refuse Gate; he built it and hung its doors with its bolts and bars.
15 Shallun the son of Col-Hozeh, leader of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate; he built it, covered it, hung its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah by the King’s Garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David. 16 After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, leader of half the district of Beth Zur, made repairs as far as the place in front of the tombs of David, to the man-made pool, and as far as the House of the Mighty.
17 After him the Levites, under Rehum the son of Bani, made repairs. Next to him Hashabiah, leader of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district. 18 After him their brethren, under Bavai the son of Henadad, leader of the other half of the district of Keilah, made repairs. 19 And next to him Ezer the son of Jeshua, the leader of Mizpah, repaired another section in front of the Ascent to the Armory at the buttress. 20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai carefully repaired the other section, from the buttress to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21 After him Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, repaired another section, from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib.
22 And after him the priests, the men of the plain, made repairs. 23 After him Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. After them Azariah the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs by his house. 24 After him Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the buttress, even as far as the corner. 25 Palal the son of Uzai made repairs opposite the buttress, and on the tower which projects from the king’s upper house that was by the court of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs.
26 Moreover the Nethinim who dwelt in Ophel made repairs as far as the place in front of the Water Gate toward the east, and on the projecting tower. 27 After them the Tekoites repaired another section, next to the great projecting tower, and as far as the wall of Ophel.
28 Beyond the Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. 29 After them Zadok the son of Immer made repairs in front of his own house. After him Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs. 30 After him Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. After him Meshullam the son of Berechiah made repairs in front of his dwelling. 31 After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the Nethinim and of the merchants, in front of the Miphkad Gate, and as far as the upper room at the corner. 32 And between the upper room at the corner, as far as the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs.
As I read through these verses, I get this picture of Nehemiah: pen in one hand, scroll in another, walking around the perimeter walls of Jerusalem, noting who was working on which section. Shoulder-to-shoulder men were building – priests, goldsmiths, various inhabitants – and they each needed to complete their portion for no gaps, holes, or vulnerabilities in the wall to exist. If even a tiny section were left incomplete, the entire city would be susceptible to attacks. Hear this: We, as His church, are called to build. Therefore, we must take our “section” seriously. If we refuse to put our shoulders to the work or fail to complete the task, it creates a weakness in the church body.
Notice when the families are named, there is mention of repairs being made “…in front of his own house.” We cannot simply set out to rebuild the houses of others without tending to our dwellings. That would be like mentoring someone, giving them profound spiritual advice, yet applying none of it to your own. We’re all familiar with the Pharisees. Jesus spoke to them in Matthew 12:34 quite candidly: “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” The Pharisees were excellent at acting spiritually but not having an actual relationship.
Verse 1 began with work at the Sheep Gate, and in the final verse (32), we see the work ending at the Sheep Gate. There was no portion of the wall which wasn’t in active repair. What a fantastic picture of unified work!
May we, as believers, stand shoulder-to-shoulder and build God’s kingdom. Amen.