New English Translation
Nehemiah 2:13
13I proceeded through the Valley Gate by night, in the direction of the Well of the Dragons and the Dung Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem that had been breached and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.
Nehemiah 2:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.
- New International Version (NIV)By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire.
- English Standard Version (ESV)I went out by night by the Valley Gate to the Dragon Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that were broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I went out by night through the Valley Gate to the Serpent Well and the Refuse Gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were burned with fire.
Context of Nehemiah 2:13
11So I came to Jerusalem. When I had been there for three days, 12I got up during the night, along with a few men who were with me. But I did not tell anyone what my God was putting on my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no animals with me, except for the one I was riding. I proceeded through the Valley Gate by night, in the direction of the Well of the Dragons and the Dung Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem that had been breached and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. 14I passed on to the Gate of the Well and the King’s Pool, where there was not enough room for my animal to pass with me. 15I continued up the valley during the night, inspecting the wall. Then I turned back and came to the Valley Gate, and so returned.
Read all of Nehemiah 2Nehemiah 2:13 word by word
וָאֵצְאָ֨ה בְשַֽׁעַר־הַגַּ֜יא לַ֗יְלָה וְאֶל־פְּנֵי֙ עֵ֣ין הַתַּנִּ֔ין וְאֶל־שַׁ֖עַר הָאַשְׁפֹּ֑ת וָאֱהִ֨י שֹׂבֵ֜ר בְּחוֹמֹ֤ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֣ם׀ פְּרוּצִ֔ים וּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָ אֻכְּל֥וּ בָאֵֽשׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
- by nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- by the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- of the valleyגַּיְאgay' gay · Valley (Gate)H1516
- even beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the dragonתַּנִּיןtannîyn tannîym · DragonH8577
- wellעֵין תַּנִּים‛êyn tannîym · En-tannimH5886
- wellעַ֫יִן‛ayin · Fountain ofH5869
- and to the dungאַשְׁפֹּת'ashpôth 'ashpôth shephôth · Dung (Gate)H830
- and viewedשָׁבַרshâbar · to breakH7665
- and viewedשָׂבַרώâbar shâbar · to inspectH7663
- the wallsחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
- of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- which were broken downפָּרַץpârats · to break throughH6555
- thereof were consumedאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- with fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
Cross-references for Nehemiah 2:13
- Nehemiah 2:15I continued up the valley during the night, inspecting the wall. Then I turned back and came to the Valley Gate, and so returned.
- Nehemiah 3:13Hanun and the residents of Zanoah worked on the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars, in addition to working on fifteen hundred feet of the wall as far as the Dung Gate.
- 2 Chronicles 26:9Uzziah built and fortified towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, Valley Gate, and at the Angle.
- Nehemiah 12:31I brought the leaders of Judah up on top of the wall, and I appointed two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on the top of the wall southward toward the Dung Gate.
- Nehemiah 2:3I replied to the king, “O king, live forever! Why would I not appear dejected when the city with the graves of my ancestors lies desolate and its gates destroyed by fire?”
- Nehemiah 1:3They said to me, “The remnant that remains from the exile there in the province are experiencing considerable adversity and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem lies breached, and its gates have been burned down!”
- Jeremiah 5:10The Lord commanded the enemy, “March through the vineyards of Israel and Judah and ruin them. But do not destroy them completely. Strip off their branches for these people do not belong to the Lord.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 2:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13The dragon well - Perhaps so called because of the representation of a dragon, out of whose mouth the stream issued that proceeded from the well. Dung port - This was the gate on the eastern side of the city, through which the filth of the city was carried into the valley of Hinnom.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-18Verses 9-18 When Nehemiah had considered the matter, he told the Jews that God had put it into his heart to build the wall of Jerusalem. He does not undertake to do it without them. By stirring up ourselves and one another to that which is good, we strengthen ourselves and one another for it. We are weak in our duty, when we are cold and careless.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13Jackal’s Well might have been En-rogel, a water source about 365 meters (400 yards) south of the city, or the Pool of Siloam, which fills with water from Hezekiah’s winding tunnel. The Dung Gate, called the Potsherd Gate in Jeremiah 19:2, is at the southern end of the western wall (see Nehemiah 3:13) and led to the Hinnom Valley, where city inhabitants threw their garbage.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1513-15. I went out by night by the gate of the valley--that is, the Jaffa gate, near the tower of Hippicus. even before the dragon well--that is, fountain on the opposite side of the valley. and to the dung port--the gate on the east of the city, through which there ran a common sewer to the brook Kedron and the valley of Hinnom.Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 2:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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