Monday, January 22, 2024

REBUILDING the GATES

 

Nehemiah 2:17

King James Version

17 Then said I unto them, 

Ye see the distress that we are in, 

how Jerusalem lieth waste, 

and the gates thereof are burned with fire: 

come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, 

that we be no more a reproach.


Nehemiah relied greatly on prayer.

Upon knowing that Jerusalem had become a wasteland, he prayed to GOD for mercy, for all the sins the people had committed against the LORD.

As cupbearer to king Artaxerxes, he prayed to GOD to find favor in the king's eyes, that the latter may allow him to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, and gates.

Of course, GOD allowed all his requests to materialize.

More so, when Nehemiah told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the rulers, and those who did the work that GOD's hand was upon him, they responded enthusiastically:

Nehemiah 2:18

King James Version

18 Then I told them of the hand of my God 

which was good upon me; 

as also the king's words 

that he had spoken unto me

And they said, 

Let us rise up and build

So they strengthened their hands 

for this good work.


"Let us rise up and build," indeed!

Can you imagine the flurry of work that went on?

I can, through Scripture.

The SHEEP gate.

Nehemiah 3:1-2

King James Version

3 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.

2 And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. 

And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.


The FISH gate.

Nehemiah 3:3-5

King James Version

3 But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, 

who also laid the beams thereof, 

and set up the doors thereof, 

the locks thereof, 

and the bars thereof.

4 And next unto them repaired Meremoth 

the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. 

And next unto them repaired Meshullam 

the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel. 

And next unto them repaired Zadok 

the son of Baana.

5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; 

but their nobles put not their necks 

to the work of their Lord.


The OLD gate.

Nehemiah 3:6-8

King James Version

6 Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada 

the son of Paseah, 

and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; 

they laid the beams thereof, 

and set up the doors thereof, 

and the locks thereof, 

and the bars thereof.

7 And next unto them repaired Melatiah 

the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, 

the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, 

unto the throne of the governor on this side the river.

8 Next unto him repaired Uzziel 

the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. 

Next unto him also repaired Hananiah 

the son of one of the apothecaries, 

and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.


Nehemiah 3:9-10

King James Version

9 And next unto them repaired Rephaiah 

the son of Hur, 

the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem.

10 And next unto them repaired Jedaiah 

the son of Harumaph, even over against his house. 

And next unto him repaired Hattush 

the son of Hashabniah.


Nehemiah 3:11-12

King James Version

11 Malchijah the son of Harim, 

and Hashub the son of Pahathmoab, 

repaired the other piece, 

and the tower of the furnaces.

12 And next unto him repaired Shallum 

the son of Halohesh, 

the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, 

he and his daughters.


The VALLEY gate.

Nehemiah 3:13

King James Version

13 The valley gate repaired Hanun, 

and the inhabitants of Zanoah; 

they built it, 

and set up the doors thereof, 

the locks thereof, 

and the bars thereof, 

and a thousand cubits on the wall 

unto the dung gate.


The DUNG gate.

Nehemiah 3:14

King James Version

14 But the dung gate repaired Malchiah 

the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Bethhaccerem; 

he built it, and set up the doors thereof, 

the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.


The FOUNTAIN gate.

Nehemiah 3:15

King James Version

15 But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun 

the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; 

he built it, and covered it, 

and set up the doors thereof, 

the locks thereof, 

and the bars thereof, 

and the wall of the pool of Siloah 

by the king's garden,

 and unto the stairs that go down 

from the city of David.


Nehemiah 3:16-18

King James Version

16 After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, 

the ruler of the half part of Bethzur, 

unto the place over against the sepulchres of David, 

and to the pool that was made, 

and unto the house of the mighty.

17 After him repaired the Levites, 

Rehum the son of Bani. 

Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, 

the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his part.

18 After him repaired their brethren, 

Bavai the son of Henadad, 

the ruler of the half part of Keilah.


Nehemiah 3:19-21

King James Version

19 And next to him repaired Ezer 

the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, 

another piece over against the going up to the armoury 

at the turning of the wall.

20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai 

earnestly repaired the other piece, 

from the turning of the wall unto the door 

of the house of Eliashib the high priest.

21 After him repaired Meremoth 

the son of Urijah the son of Koz another piece, 

from the door of the house of Eliashib 

even to the end of the house of Eliashib.


Nehemiah 3:22

King James Version

22 And after him repaired the priests, 

the men of the plain.


Nehemiah 3:23-24

King James Version

23 After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub 

over against their house. 

After him repaired Azariah

 the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah by his house.

24 After him repaired Binnui 

the son of Henadad another piece, 

from the house of Azariah 

unto the turning of the wall, 

even unto the corner.


Nehemiah 3:25

King James Version

25 Palal the son of Uzai, 

over against the turning of the wall, 

and the tower which lieth out 

from the king's high house, 

that was by the court of the prison. 

After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh.


The WATER gate.

Nehemiah 3:26-27

King James Version

26 Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, 

unto the place over against the water gate 

toward the east, and the tower that lieth out.

27 After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, 

over against the great tower that lieth out, 

even unto the wall of Ophel.


The HORSE gate.

Nehemiah 3:28

King James Version

28 From above the horse gate repaired the priests, 

every one over against his house.


The EAST gate.

Nehemiah 3:29-30

King James Version

29 After them repaired Zadok 

the son of Immer over against his house. 

After him repaired also Shemaiah 

the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate.

30 After him repaired Hananiah 

the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun 

the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. 

After him repaired Meshullam 

the son of Berechiah over against his chamber.


The MIPHKAD gate.

Nehemiah 3:31

King James Version

31 After him repaired Malchiah 

the goldsmith's son unto the place of the Nethinims, 

and of the merchants, 

over against the gate Miphkad, 

and to the going up of the corner.


Nehemiah 3:32

King James Version

32 And between the going up of the corner 

unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths 

and the merchants.


EVERYONE worked, EXCEPT for the Tekoite nobles:

Nehemiah 3:5

King James Version

5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; 

but their nobles put not their necks 

to the work of their Lord.


Such is the result of prayer.

GOD makes things happen.

He makes people band together, to rebuild His city.

After all, JERUSALEM is GOD's holy city.

How was such a city laid it to waste?

How could it have been destroyed?

Only through abominations against GOD.

But GOD is a merciful GOD.

He knows the hearts of men.

He continues to love His people.

No matter what.


As Jerusalem's walls and gates were being rebuilt, problems arose.

Their enemies got stirred up, full of jealousy, and mockery.

How did GOD's people respond?

The next post tells us more.


Image: Free Bible Images


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