Nehemiah

Reconstruction of the Wall

The high priest Eliashib and his brothers, the priests, were entrusted with building the Sheep Gate. They built it, set its doors, and continued as far as the Tower of Hananel.

The people of Jericho worked at their side, and farther on, Zaccur, son of Imri.

The Fish Gate was assigned to the sons of Hassenaah. They set up and fixed its doors, bolts, and bars.

Next to them, Meremoth, son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, and Meshullam, son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel, built the next section. At their side, Zadok, son of Baana, repaired another section.

At their side, the inhabitants of Tekoa worked, but their nobles wanted not to labor in the service of their Lord.

The Old Gate was repaired by Joiada, son of Paseah, and Meshullam, son of Besodeiah. They set up and fixed the gate with its bolts and bars.

Next to them worked Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronot beside the provincial governor’s house with the people of Gibeon and Mizpah.

Next to them worked Uzziel of the jewelers’ guild. Next was Hananiah of the perfumers’ guild: they strengthened Jerusalem as far as the Wall of the Square.

Next to them, repairs were carried out by Rephaiah, son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem.

Next to them, Jedaiah, son of Harumaph, worked opposite his own house; next to him, repairs were carried out by Hattush, son of Hashabneiah.

Malchijah, son of Harim, and Hasshub, son of Pahath-Moab, repaired the next section as far as the Tower of the Furnaces.

Next to them worked Shallum, son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate; they restored it, constructed its framework and set its doors, bolts, and bars in place, and repaired a thousand cubits of wall up to the Dung Gate.

Malchijah, son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate. He and his sons set their doors, bolts, and bars in place.

Shallum, son of Colhozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, worked at the Fountain Gate; he built it, covered it, and set its doors, bolts, and bars in place. He also rebuilt the wall of the conduit cistern adjoining the king’s garden, as far as the steps coming down from David’s Citadel.

Next to him, Nehemiah, son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, worked up to a point opposite the tombs of David, the Artificial Pool, and the House of Heroes.

Next to him worked the Levites: Rehum, son of Bani, and next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, for his district.

Next to them worked their brothers: Binnui, son of Henadad, ruler of half the district of Keilah;

next to him, Ezer, son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, opposite the slope up to the Armory, towards the Angle.

Next to him, Baruch, son of Zabbai, worked from the Angle as far as the door of the house of Eliashib, the high priest.

Next to him, Meremoth, son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, from the door of Eliashib’s house to its farther end.

Next to him worked the priests who lived there.

Next to them worked Benjamin and Hasshub, opposite their own homes. Next to them, Azariah, son of Maaseiah and son of Ananiah, was beside his house.

Next to him, Binnui, son of Henadad from the house of Azariah, up to the Angle.

Next to him, Palal, son of Uzai, worked opposite the corner of the tower, jutting out over the upper palace of the king near the prison courtyard. Next to him, Pedaiah, son of Parosh, worked

as far as the Water Gate, in an easterly direction and up to a point opposite the projecting tower.

Next to him, the men of Tekoa worked opposite the great tower as far as the wall of Ophel.

From the Horse Gate onwards, the priests carried out repairs, each opposite his house.

Next to them worked Zadok, son of Immer, opposite his own house. Next to him, Shemaiah, son of Shecaniah and keeper of the East Gate.

Next to him, Hananiah, son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, sixth son of Zalaph. Next to him, Meshullam, son of Berechiah, worked in the exact location where he lived.

Next to him, Malchijah, of the goldsmiths’ guild, repaired as far as the quarters of the helpers and the merchants opposite the Watch Gate and the high chamber of the corner.

Between the high chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants did the repair work.

When Sanballat heard we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry. He ridiculed the Jews

and said before his brothers and the lords of Samaria: “What are those miserable Jews trying to do? Perhaps they will rebuild, finish, and celebrate the inauguration in a single day. Do they think they can make stones out of heaps of ruins?”

Tobiah the Ammonite, who was by him, said: “Let them build, for if any fox goes up on their wall, it will surely collapse.

Listen, O our God, for we are despised! May their insult fall back upon their heads; give them up to contempt in a land where they shall be exiled!

Do not cover their guilt nor let their sin be blotted out in your presence, for they have offended those who built.”

The people worked with all their hearts, and we finished half the wall’s height.