Read & explore together
The Builders of Jerusalem's Wall
Nehemiah 3 is a careful record of who repaired Jerusalem’s wall, naming workers, places and sections so the rebuilding can be traced from gate to gate.
Understanding the passage
Understanding the setting
The passage begins at the sheep gate, moves around the wall past gates, towers, houses and pools, and ends back at the sheep gate. It records many individuals and groups, including priests, Levites, rulers, tradesmen, households and people from nearby towns, and notes both work completed and one refusal to join it.
Nehemiah 3:1–32Main takeaway
Nehemiah 3 records Jerusalem’s wall as many named people repairing particular sections around the city.
Explore the instructions
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01The record starts at the sheep gateEliashib the high priest and the priests built the sheep gate, set up its doors and sanctified it.
Explanation
Eliashib the high priest and the priests built the sheep gate, set up its doors and sanctified it. The next verse begins the pattern of linking one team to another. This makes the chapter read like a guided path around the wall, not a random list of names.
02Different people repaired different partsSome entries describe full gate construction with beams, doors, bolts and bars. Others simply say a person or group “made repairs”.
Explanation
Some entries describe full gate construction with beams, doors, bolts and bars. Others simply say a person or group “made repairs”. The workers include people from Jericho, Gibeon and Mizpah, as well as goldsmiths and perfumers. The chapter shows the work spread across many places and occupations.
03The chapter notes both participation and refusalOne clear contrast appears when the Tekoites made repairs but their nobles did not put their necks to the Lord’s work.
Explanation
One clear contrast appears when the Tekoites made repairs but their nobles did not put their necks to the Lord’s work. Later, the list notes Shallum and his daughters among the repairers, and it says Baruch earnestly repaired another portion. The record does more than count names. It also marks these differences.
04Homes, districts and a complete circuitSeveral people repaired sections across from their own houses, while rulers and Levites are linked with districts.
Explanation
Several people repaired sections across from their own houses, while rulers and Levites are linked with districts. The list passes landmarks such as the pool of Shelah, David’s city and Ophel. It finally returns to the sheep gate, giving the chapter the shape of a full circuit around Jerusalem.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What repeated wording helps you picture the workers arranged beside each other?
Notice the linking phrases such as “next to him”, “next to them” and “after him”, which connect one repair section to the next.
02Which verses show that the repairs involved more than priests?
Look for the variety of groups named, including people from towns, rulers, Levites, goldsmiths, perfumers, merchants and households.
03Where does this chapter show a contrast in how people are recorded?
Compare the nobles who did not join the Lord’s work with the entries that note Shallum and his daughters repairing, and Baruch earnestly repairing another portion.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Nehemiah 3:1–32
1Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the sheep gate. They sanctified it, and set up its doors. They sanctified it even to the tower of Hammeah, to the tower of Hananel.
2Next to him the men of Jericho built. Next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
3The sons of Hassenaah built the fish gate. They laid its beams, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
4Next to them, Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz 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.
5Next to them, the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles didn’t put their necks to the Lord’s work.
6Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the old gate. They laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
7Next to them, Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, repaired the residence of the governor beyond the River.
8Next to him, Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, made repairs. Next to him, Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs, and they fortified Jerusalem even to the wide wall.
9Next to them, Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs.
10Next to them, Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs across from his house. Next to him, Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs.
11Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahathmoab repaired another portion and the tower of the furnaces.
12Next to him, Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters made repairs.
13Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the valley gate. They built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and one thousand cubits of the wall to the dung gate.
14Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth Haccherem, repaired the dung gate. He built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
15Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the spring gate. He built it, covered it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars; and he repaired the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king’s garden, even to the stairs that go down from David’s city.
16After him, Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth Zur, made repairs to the place opposite the tombs of David, and to the pool that was made, and to the house of the mighty men.
17After him, the Levites—Rehum the son of Bani made repairs. Next to him, Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district.
18After him, their brothers, Bavvai the son of Henadad, the ruler of half the district of Keilah made repairs.
19Next to him, Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, repaired another portion across from the ascent to the armory at the turning of the wall.
20After him, Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired another portion, from the turning of the wall to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
21After him, Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz repaired another portion, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib.
22After him, the priests, the men of the surrounding area made repairs.
23After them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs across from their house. After them, Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah made repairs beside his own house.
24After him, Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another portion, from the house of Azariah to the turning of the wall, and to the corner.
25Palal the son of Uzai made repairs opposite the turning of the wall, and the tower that stands out from the upper house of the king, which is by the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs.
26(Now the temple servants lived in Ophel, to the place opposite the water gate toward the east, and the tower that stands out.)
27After him the Tekoites repaired another portion, opposite the great tower that stands out, and to the wall of Ophel.
28Above the horse gate, the priests made repairs, everyone across from his own house.
29After them, Zadok the son of Immer made repairs across from his own house. After him, Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate, made repairs.
30After him, Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another portion. After him, Meshullam the son of Berechiah made repairs across from his room.
31After him, Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths to the house of the temple servants, and of the merchants, made repairs opposite the gate of Hammiphkad and to the ascent of the corner.
32Between the ascent of the corner and the sheep gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs.