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Nehemiah 3

The record of Jerusalem’s wall repairs names the people who shared the work and preserves the contrast of those who refused.

Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests build and consecrate the sheep gate as repairs extend around Jerusalem’s wall. The account traces each stretch through named workers and landmarks, returning to the sheep gate at the end. Priests work alongside tradesmen and district rulers; Shallum’s daughters take part too. Some people repair sections beside their homes, and others take another portion. Amid these names, the refusal of the Tekoite nobles receives a brief, sharp notice.

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1Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the sheep gate. They sanctified it, and set up its doors. They sanctified it even to the tower of Hammeah, to the tower of Hananel.
2Next to him the men of Jericho built. Next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
3The sons of Hassenaah built the fish gate. They laid its beams, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
4Next to them, Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz made repairs. Next to them, Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel made repairs. Next to them, Zadok the son of Baana made repairs.
5Next to them, the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles didn’t put their necks to the Lord’s work.
6Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah repaired the old gate. They laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
7Next to them, Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, repaired the residence of the governor beyond the River.
8Next to him, Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, goldsmiths, made repairs. Next to him, Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs, and they fortified Jerusalem even to the wide wall.
9Next to them, Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs.
10Next to them, Jedaiah the son of Harumaph made repairs across from his house. Next to him, Hattush the son of Hashabneiah made repairs.
11Malchijah the son of Harim and Hasshub the son of Pahathmoab repaired another portion and the tower of the furnaces.
12Next to him, Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters made repairs.
13Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the valley gate. They built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and one thousand cubits of the wall to the dung gate.
14Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth Haccherem, repaired the dung gate. He built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
15Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the spring gate. He built it, covered it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars; and he repaired the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king’s garden, even to the stairs that go down from David’s city.
16After him, Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth Zur, made repairs to the place opposite the tombs of David, and to the pool that was made, and to the house of the mighty men.
17After him, the Levites—Rehum the son of Bani made repairs. Next to him, Hashabiah, the ruler of half the district of Keilah, made repairs for his district.
19Next to him, Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, repaired another portion across from the ascent to the armory at the turning of the wall.
20After him, Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired another portion, from the turning of the wall to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
21After him, Meremoth the son of Uriah the son of Hakkoz repaired another portion, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib.
23After them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs across from their house. After them, Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah made repairs beside his own house.
24After him, Binnui the son of Henadad repaired another portion, from the house of Azariah to the turning of the wall, and to the corner.
25Palal the son of Uzai made repairs opposite the turning of the wall, and the tower that stands out from the upper house of the king, which is by the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh made repairs.
26(Now the temple servants lived in Ophel, to the place opposite the water gate toward the east, and the tower that stands out.)
27After him the Tekoites repaired another portion, opposite the great tower that stands out, and to the wall of Ophel.
28Above the horse gate, the priests made repairs, everyone across from his own house.
29After them, Zadok the son of Immer made repairs across from his own house. After him, Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate, made repairs.
31After him, Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths to the house of the temple servants, and of the merchants, made repairs opposite the gate of Hammiphkad and to the ascent of the corner.
32Between the ascent of the corner and the sheep gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Nehemiah 3:1The priests begin the account by building and consecrating the sheep gate, joining physical repair with dedication to God.
Nehemiah 3:26This parenthetical note locates the temple servants in Ophel, anchoring the repair record in Jerusalem’s inhabited landscape.
Nehemiah 3:15Shallun’s repairs connect a gate and pool with the king’s garden and the stairs descending from David’s city.
Where this chapter reaches

Ezra shares the setting of Jerusalem’s restoration and names priests and temple servants among the returned community, groups also present in this repair record. 2 Chronicles shares the location Ophel and accounts of fortification, while Jeremiah names the tower of Hananel in a promise concerning Jerusalem’s rebuilding.

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After reading the whole chapter

Which named worker or repaired section caught your attention, and what made you pause?

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How does the Tekoites’ second portion affect your reading of their nobles’ refusal?

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Questions people ask about Nehemiah 3

Why does Nehemiah 3 list so many names?

The names record who built or repaired each section of Jerusalem’s wall. Gates, towers, and houses mark the boundaries of their work. The list also shows the range of participants, from priests to tradesmen, and preserves details such as extra portions repaired and the Tekoite nobles’ refusal.

Did women help rebuild the wall in Nehemiah 3?

Yes. Verse 12 says Shallum, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, made repairs with his daughters. The text includes them among those doing the work, though it does not name them or describe their tasks. Their brief mention is part of the chapter’s record of those who took part.

Why did the Tekoite nobles refuse to help?

Verse 5 records their refusal to take part in the Lord’s work, but gives no reason for it. Their motives remain unknown. The contrast is clear: the Tekoites themselves repair one section in verse 5 and another in verse 27, despite the lack of help from their nobles.

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Nehemiah · 13 chapters
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).