New King James Version
Nehemiah 7:3
3And 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.”
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 Living Translation (NLT)I said to them, “Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day. And even while the gatekeepers are on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at sentry posts and some in front of their own homes.”
Context of Nehemiah 7:3
1Then it was, when the wall was built and I had hung the doors, when the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2that I gave the charge of Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the leader of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. 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.” 4Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few, and the houses were not rebuilt. 5Then my God put it into my heart to gather the nobles, the rulers, and the people, that they might be registered by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of those who had come up in the first return, and found written in it:
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 13:19So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day.
- Psalms 127:1Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.
- Matthew 10:16“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
- Nehemiah 3:23After 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.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries