Building the Wall of Jerusalem Nehemiah 3

Nehemiah 3:1 "Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel."

Talk about setting the example. These priests jobs were to minister in the house of the LORD but here they are with rocks and tools rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem.

Have you ever started trying to do something for the LORD and around you were people saying that will never work or outright laughing at you for your efforts. It happened here.

Go back a few verses: chapter 2:19 "But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? v20 "Then answered I them, and said unto the, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build; but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem."

Nehemiah was not working the local political scene. He was on a mission to build the wall. He could have mentioned that he had authority from the king but he choose to refer them to the God of heaven, instead.

This chapter goes on to tell about all the people working and the portion they were working on. Some repaired gates and some worked on walls, some around their own chambers. It must have been a sight to see. Sanballat asked later in chapter 4:2 "...will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an and ina day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?"

So I believe we now have Ezra and his crew working on the temple and Nehemiah and his crew working on the wall. If I have my picture right.

Here are the gates I found mentioned in this chapter: Sheep, fish, old, valley gate, fountain, water, horse and Miphkad. It tells who repaired these gates and who repaired the walls between the gates. You can actually follow the work around the city as it is described.

Some phrases I found: v3 describes a gate "...also laid the beams...set up the doors...the locks...and the bars..." v7 "...unto the throne of the governor on this side the river." v8 ..."not the broad wall." v9 "..unto repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem." v11 "the tower of the furnace." v12 "...he and his daughters." v15 "...unto the stairs that go down from the city of David." v16 "...unto the house of the might." v19 "...another piece over against going up to the armory at the turning of the wall." v21 "...another piece..." v24 "...from the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall, even unto the corner." v29 "...keeper of the east gate," v32 "...goldsmiths and the merchants."

You see everyone did a piece of the wall, they worked out of their usual trade to get the job done.

Isaiah 31:5 "As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem, defending also he will deliver it, and passing over he will preserve it."

The wall of Jerusalem is being rebuilt.