They begin to build the wall
1 The high priest Eliashib and his brothers, the priests, were en trusted with the building of the Sheep Gate. They built it, set its doors and continued as far as the Tower of Ha nanel.
2 The people of Jericho worked at their side, and farther on, Zaccur, son of Imri.
3 The Fish Gate was assigned to the sons of Hassenaah. They set up and fixed its doors, bolts and bars.
4 Next to them, Meremoth, son of Uriah, son of Hakkoz, and Me shul lam, son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel built the next section and at their side, Zadok, son of Baana, repaired another section.
5 At their side, the inhabitants of Tekoa worked, but their nobles wanted not to labor in the service of their Lord.
6 The Old Gate was repaired by Joia da, son of Paseah, and Me shu l lam, son of Besodeiah. They set up and fixed the gate with its bolts and bars.
7 Next to them worked Mala tiah of Gibeon and Yadan of Meronot with the people of Gi beon and Mizpah, beside the house of the provincial governor.
8 Next to them worked Uzziel, of the jewellers’ guild. Next were Hana niah, of the perfumers’ guild: they strengthened Jerusa lem as far as the Wall of the Square.
9 Next to them repairs were carried out by Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of half the district of Jerusa lem.
10 Next to them Jedaiah son of Harumaph worked opposite his own house; next to him repairs were carried out by Hattush son of Hashabneiah.
11 Mal chijah son of Harim and Has shub son of Pahath-moab repaired the next section as far as the Tower of the Fur naces.
12 Next to them worked Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.
13 Hanun and the inhabi tants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate; they restored it, constructed its framework and set its doors, bolts and bars in place, and repaired a thou sand cubits of wall up to the Dung Gate.
14 Mal chijah son of Rechab, ruler of the district of Beth haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate, he and his sons: he set its doors, bolts and bars in place.
15 Sha llum, 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 the Citadel of David.
16 Next to him, Nehemiah son of Az buk, 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.
17 Next to him worked the Levites: Rehum son of Bani and next to him Hasha biah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, for his own district.
18 Next to them worked their broth ers: Binnui son of Hena dad, ruler of half the district of Keilah;
19 next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, opposite the slope up to the Armory, towards the Angle.
20 Next to him Baruch son of Zabbai worked from the Angle as far as the door of the house of Elia shib the high priest.
21 Next to him Mere moth son of Uriah, son of Hak koz from the door of Eliashib’s house to its farther end.
22 Next to him worked the priests who lived there.
23 Next to them worked Benjamin and Hass hub, opposite their own houses. Next to them Azariah son of Maaseiah, son of Ananiah, beside his own house.
24 Next to him Binnui son of Henadad from the house of Azariah up to the Angle.
25 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
26 as far as the Water Gate, in an easterly direction and up to a point opposite the projecting tower.
27 Next to him the men of Tekoa worked op po site the great tower as far as the wall of Ophel.
28 From the Horse Gate onwards repairs were carried out by the priests, each opposite his own house.
29 Next to them worked Za dok son of Immer opposite his own house. Next to him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, keeper of the East Gate.
30 Next to him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun sixth son of Zalaph. Next to him Meshullam son of Bere chiah worked opposite where he lived.
31 Next to him Malchijah, of the goldsmiths’ guild, repaired as far as the quarters of the helpers and the merchants, opposite the Watch Gate as far as the high cham ber of the corner.
32 And between the high chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate repairs were carried out by the goldsmiths and the merchants.
The enemies try to discourage Ne hemiah
33 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry. He ridiculed the Jews
34 and said before his brothers and the lords of Sa maria, “What are those miserable Jews trying to do? Are they perhaps going to rebuild, finish and celebrate the inauguration in a single day? Do they think they can make stones out of heaps of ruins?”
35 Tobiah the Ammonite who was by him said, “Let them build, for if any fox goes up on their wall, it will surely col lapse.”
36 Listen, O our God, for we are despised! May their insult fall back upon their own heads; give them up to contempt in a land where they shall be exiled!
37 Do not cover their guilt nor let their sin be blotted out in your presence, for they have offended those who built.
38 The people worked with all their hearts and we finished half the wall’s height.
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Comments Nehemiah, Chapter 3
• 3.33 Later, Nehemiah’s work arouses jealousy and suspicion. Nothing unusual in that. The firmness of this man alone was enough to inspire everyone. At that very moment, building the Jerusalem walls was the specific task which, if not done, would have stopped sacred history. Had the Jewish people given in and delayed, they would have lost the means to their independence and the meaning of their mission. Similarly today, although the mission of the Church is mostly spiritual, our fidelity to the Lord depends upon our attitude in the face of violations and betrayals of the truth in very specific aspects of social life.