The Builders of the Walls
The work begins at the Sheep Gate and moves outward through the first adjoining sections. Priests, nearby towns, and named families join the repairs, while the nobles of Tekoa are singled out for refusing the labor.
A1t the Sheep Gate, Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests began rebuilding. They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building as far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel, they dedicated the wall. 2The men of Jericho built next to Eliashib, and Zaccur son of Imri built next to them. 3The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 4Next to them, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, made repairs. Next to him, Meshullam son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs; and next to him, Zadok son of Baana made repairs as well. 5Next to him, the Tekoites made repairs, but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.
Verse 1Eliashib the high priest and the priests begin at the Sheep Gate, rebuild it, set up its doors, and dedicate both gate and wall as far as two towers.
It opens the list with priestly leadership and sets the rebuilding in a consecrated frame.
Verse 2The men of Jericho and Zaccur son of Imri repair the sections next to Eliashib's work.
It begins the chain of adjoining builders that structures the whole chapter.
Verse 3The sons of Hassenaah rebuild the Fish Gate, laying beams and setting its doors, bolts, and bars.
It adds another key gate and keeps the work moving clockwise along the wall.
Verse 4Meremoth, Meshullam, and Zadok each repair the section beside the others in succession.
It extends the pattern of named individuals taking contiguous stretches.
Verse 5The Tekoites make repairs, but their nobles refuse to put their shoulders to the supervisors' work.
It provides the chapter's brief contrast by marking a failure to join the common labor.
More gates and wall sections are assigned to a widening mix of builders, including regional groups, artisans, rulers, and households. The list keeps pressing the work forward while showing how broadly the task is shared.
6The Jeshanah Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 7Next to them, repairs were made by Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, who were under the authority of the governor of the region west of the Euphrates. 8Next to them, Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. And next to him, Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs. They fortified Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. 9Next to them, Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, made repairs; 10next to him, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs across from his house; and next to him, Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs. 11Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab repaired another section, as well as the Tower of the Ovens. 12And next to them, Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of the other half-district of Jerusalem, made repairs, with the help of his daughters.
Verse 6Joiada and Meshullam repair the Jeshanah Gate, laying beams and setting its doors, bolts, and bars.
It resumes the steady record of gate restoration after the note of refusal.
Verse 7Melatiah, Jadon, and men from Gibeon and Mizpah repair the next section under the governor beyond the Euphrates.
It shows that the work reaches beyond Jerusalem itself into surrounding communities.
Verse 8Uzziel the goldsmith and Hananiah the perfumer repair the next stretch and fortify Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.
It highlights craftsmen joining the work and marks a notable portion of the wall.
Verse 9Rephaiah, ruler of half a district of Jerusalem, repairs the section next to them.
It adds civic leadership to the growing list of builders.
Verse 10Jedaiah repairs the wall opposite his house, and Hattush repairs the next section.
It introduces the motif of people rebuilding the wall nearest their own homes.
Verse 11Malchijah and Hasshub repair another section and also work on the Tower of the Ovens.
It pairs a wall section with a named tower, adding detail to the route.
Verse 12Shallum, ruler of half a district of Jerusalem, repairs the next section with his daughters.
It widens the picture of participation by noting his daughters' involvement.
Attention shifts to major stretches of wall and key southern gates, with detailed notice of doors, bars, roofing, and long distances repaired. The work is both careful and extensive as the line continues around the city.
13The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it, installed its doors, bolts, and bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Dung Gate. 14The Dung Gate was repaired by Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem. He rebuilt it and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. 15The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofed it, and installed its doors, bolts, and bars. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Shelah near the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that descend from the City of David. 16Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth-zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Mighty.
Verse 13Hanun and the residents of Zanoah rebuild the Valley Gate, set its doors, bolts, and bars, and repair a thousand cubits of wall to the Dung Gate.
It marks a long, substantial stretch of completed work.
Verse 14Malchijah son of Rechab rebuilds the Dung Gate and installs its doors, bolts, and bars.
It continues the measured progress from gate to gate.
Verse 15Shallun rebuilds the Fountain Gate, roofs it, sets its doors, bolts, and bars, and repairs the wall by the Pool of Shelah to the stairs from the City of David.
It gives fuller architectural detail as the account moves along the city's southern side.
Verse 16Nehemiah son of Azbuk repairs as far as the area opposite David's tombs, the artificial pool, and the House of the Mighty.
It locates the work near prominent landmarks and keeps the circuit moving.
Levites, district rulers, and priests repair the sections around important turns and prominent houses, including the high priest's. The account lingers on adjoining segments as the work tightens around the city's central places.
17Next to him, the Levites made repairs under Rehum son of Bani, and next to him, Hashabiah, ruler of a half-district of Keilah, made repairs for his district. 18Next to him, their countrymen made repairs under Binnui son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. 19And next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armory, near the angle in the wall. 20Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai diligently repaired another section, from the angle to the doorway of the house of Eliashib the high priest. 21Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the doorway of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house. 22And next to him, the priests from the surrounding area made repairs.
Verse 17The Levites repair under Rehum, and Hashabiah repairs on behalf of his district.
It brings the Levites and district administration into the shared labor.
Verse 18Their countrymen repair next under Binnui, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah.
It continues the pairing of local groups with their appointed leaders.
Verse 19Ezer repairs another section opposite the ascent to the armory near the angle of the wall.
It marks a strategic point where the wall turns.
Verse 20Baruch son of Zabbai diligently repairs another section from the angle to the doorway of Eliashib's house.
It singles out unusual zeal while linking the work to the high priest's house.
Verse 21Meremoth repairs another section from Eliashib's doorway to the end of his house.
It extends the repairs through the same important area in careful sequence.
Verse 22The priests from the surrounding area repair the section next to him.
It shows the priesthood's broader participation beyond the Jerusalem priests who opened the work.
Builders work in front of their houses and along the angles, towers, and Ophel, while the Tekoites appear again for another stretch. The repairs now follow the wall through its bends and exposed positions.
23Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house, and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. 24After him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the angle and the corner, 25and Palal son of Uzai made repairs opposite the angle and the tower that juts out from the upper palace of the king near the courtyard of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh 26and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the tower that juts out. 27And next to them, the Tekoites repaired another section, from a point opposite the great tower that juts out to the wall of Ophel.
Verse 23Benjamin and Hasshub repair in front of their house, and Azariah repairs beside his own house.
It reinforces the pattern of household-based responsibility.
Verse 24Binnui repairs another section from Azariah's house to the angle and the corner.
It carries the repairs through another bend in the wall.
Verse 25Palal repairs opposite the angle and the projecting tower by the king's upper palace near the court of the guard, and Pedaiah follows him.
It ties the work to royal and defensive structures at a vulnerable point.
Verse 26The temple servants on Ophel repair opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower.
It places another distinct community along the eastern side of the wall.
Verse 27The Tekoites repair another section from opposite the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel.
It returns to the Tekoites to show their continued contribution despite their nobles' refusal.
The final stretch runs past the Horse Gate, East Gate, and Inspection Gate until the circuit closes again at the Sheep Gate. Priests, goldsmiths, merchants, and householders complete the loop together.
28Above the Horse Gate, each of the priests made repairs in front of his own house. 29Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house, and next to him, Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the guard of the East Gate, made repairs. 30Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, as well as Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his own quarters. 31Next to him, Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the upper room above the corner. 32And between the upper room above the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.
Verse 28Above the Horse Gate, each priest repairs the section in front of his own house.
It combines priestly duty with the chapter's recurring pattern of repairing what lies nearest.
Verse 29Zadok repairs opposite his house, and Shemaiah, guard of the East Gate, repairs next to him.
It advances the final sequence of adjoining builders near the eastern gates.
Verse 30Hananiah, Hanun, and Meshullam repair another section, with Meshullam working opposite his own quarters.
It continues the closing list with both named partners and personal responsibility.
Verse 31Malchijah the goldsmith repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate and up to the upper room at the corner.
It brings the route toward its final corner and gathers commercial and temple-related spaces into view.
Verse 32Between the upper room at the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and merchants complete the last section.
It closes the circuit by returning to the starting point and completing the wall's shared ring of labor.
A quiet block diagram: each row is one authored paragraph movement, with verse numbers kept visible for scanning and deeper work.
- vv. 1-5
The work begins at the Sheep Gate and moves outward through the first adjoining sections. Priests, nearby towns, and named families join the repairs, while the nobles of Tekoa are singled out for refusing the labor.
This opening establishes the chapter's repeating pattern of neighboring builders and introduces the lone note of resistance. - vv. 6-12
More gates and wall sections are assigned to a widening mix of builders, including regional groups, artisans, rulers, and households. The list keeps pressing the work forward while showing how broadly the task is shared.
This paragraph broadens the circle of participants and reinforces the communal scope of the rebuilding. - vv. 13-16
Attention shifts to major stretches of wall and key southern gates, with detailed notice of doors, bars, roofing, and long distances repaired. The work is both careful and extensive as the line continues around the city.
This movement marks substantial progress and gives the rebuilding a more physical, measured sense. - vv. 17-22
Levites, district rulers, and priests repair the sections around important turns and prominent houses, including the high priest's. The account lingers on adjoining segments as the work tightens around the city's central places.
This paragraph shows civic and religious leadership joining the labor at strategically important points. - vv. 23-27
Builders work in front of their houses and along the angles, towers, and Ophel, while the Tekoites appear again for another stretch. The repairs now follow the wall through its bends and exposed positions.
This part emphasizes personal responsibility for nearby sections while carrying the account through the wall's more complex terrain. - vv. 28-32
The final stretch runs past the Horse Gate, East Gate, and Inspection Gate until the circuit closes again at the Sheep Gate. Priests, goldsmiths, merchants, and householders complete the loop together.
This closing completes the city's circumference and leaves the chapter with a sense of joined work brought into wholeness.