New English Translation
Nehemiah 7:3
3I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem must not be opened in the early morning, until those who are standing guard close the doors and lock them. Position residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their guard stations and some near their homes.”
Nehemiah 7:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.
- New International Version (NIV)I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And I said to them, "Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut and bar the doors; and appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his watch station and another in front of his own house.”
Context of Nehemiah 7:3
1When the wall had been rebuilt and I had positioned the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2I then put in charge over Jerusalem my brother Hanani and Hananiah the chief of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many do. I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem must not be opened in the early morning, until those who are standing guard close the doors and lock them. Position residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their guard stations and some near their homes.” 4Now the city was spread out and large, and there were not a lot of people in it. At that time houses had not been rebuilt. 5My God placed it on my heart to gather the leaders, the officials, and the ordinary people so they could be enrolled on the basis of genealogy. I found the genealogical records of those who had formerly returned. Here is what I found written in that record:
Read all of Nehemiah 7Nehemiah 7:3 word by word
וָאֹמַ֣ר לָהֶ֗ם לֹ֣א יִפָּֽתְח֞וּ שַׁעֲרֵ֤י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ עַד־חֹ֣ם הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וְעַ֨ד הֵ֥ם עֹמְדִ֛ים יָגִ֥יפוּ הַדְּלָת֖וֹת וֶאֱחֹ֑זוּ וְהַעֲמֵ֗יד מִשְׁמְרוֹת֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם אִ֚ישׁ בְּמִשְׁמָר֔וֹ וְאִ֖ישׁ נֶ֥גֶד בֵּיתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, Let not the gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
- be openedפָּתַחpâthach · to openH6605
- until the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
- be hotחֹםchôm · heatH2527
- and while they stand byעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: appointH5975
- let them shutגּוּףgûph · to shutH1479
- the doorsדֶּ֫לֶתdeleth · doorH1817
- and barאָחַז'âchaz · to graspH270
- watchesמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931
- of the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- in his watchמִשְׁמָרmishmâr · custodyH4929
- over against his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
Cross-references for Nehemiah 7:3
- Nehemiah 13:19When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered the doors to be closed. I further directed that they were not to be opened until after the Sabbath. I positioned some of my young men at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day.
- Psalms 127:1If the Lord does not build a house, then those who build it work in vain. If the Lord does not guard a city, then the watchman stands guard in vain.
- Matthew 10:16“I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
- Nehemiah 3:23After them Benjamin and Hasshub worked opposite their house. After them Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, worked near his house.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 7:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Until the sun be hot - The meaning of this is, the gates were not to be opened before sunrise, and always shut at sunset. This is the custom to the present day in many of the cities of the East if a traveler arrives after sunset, he finds the gates shut; and on no consideration will they open them till the next morning, so that those who come late are obliged to lodge in the plain, or under the walls. Every one - over against his house - Each was obliged…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Until the sun be hot - An unusual precaution. The ordinary practice in the East is to open town gates at sunrise.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3The gatekeepers were meant to close the gates in the afternoon when people rested and were not ready to defend the city. In other texts, similar language describes the hottest part of the day when people go inside (Genesis 18:1; 2 Samuel 4:5).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot, &c.--In the East it is customary to open the gates of a city at sunrise, and to bar them at sunset--a rule which is very rarely, and not except to persons of authority, infringed upon. Nehemiah recommended that the gates of Jerusalem should not be opened so early; a precaution necessary at a time when the enemy was practising all sorts of dangerous stratagems, to ensure that the inhabitants…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 7:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 7
- 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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