Nehemiah

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.

1Eliashib was the high priest, the leader of the priests who served God. He and the other priests began work at the Sheep Gate. They set it apart for God and put up its doors. They kept building as far as the Tower of Meah and the Tower of Hananeel. They set that part apart for God too.

2And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri.

2The men from the town of Jericho built the next part of the wall. Zaccur son of Imri built the part after that.

3But 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.

3The sons of Hassenaah rebuilt the Fish Gate. They laid its wooden beams. They put in its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

4And 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.

4Next to them, Meremoth son of Urijah, the son of Koz, fixed his part. Next to him, Meshullam son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel, fixed his part. Next to him, Zadok son of Baana fixed his part.

5And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their LORD.

5Next to them, the men of Tekoa fixed the wall. But their important men would not bend their backs and help with the work.

NoteThe KJV says they "put not their necks to the work." That is an old way of saying they would not bend down and do the hard work.

6Moreover 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.

6Jehoiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah fixed the Old Gate. They laid its beams. They put in its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

7And 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.

7Next to them, Melatiah from Gibeon and Jadon from Meronoth fixed the wall. The men of Gibeon and Mizpah worked too. These men lived under the rule of the governor of the land west of the Euphrates River.

8Next 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.

8Next to him, Uzziel son of Harhaiah fixed the wall. He was a goldsmith, someone who makes things out of gold. Next to him, Hananiah fixed his part. His father made sweet-smelling perfume and medicine. These men made Jerusalem strong as far as the Broad Wall.

9And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem.

9Next to them, Rephaiah son of Hur fixed his part. He was the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem.

10And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even over against his house. And next unto him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah.

10Next to them, Jedaiah son of Harumaph fixed the wall right in front of his own house. Next to him, Hattush son of Hashabniah fixed his part.

11Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahathmoab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces.

11Malchijah son of Harim and Hashub son of Pahathmoab fixed another part of the wall. They also fixed the Tower of the Ovens.

12And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

12Next to him, Shallum son of Halohesh fixed his part. He was the ruler of the other half of the district of Jerusalem. His daughters worked with him.

13The 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.

13Hanun and the people of Zanoah fixed the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and put in its doors, bolts, and bars. They also fixed a thousand cubits of wall, all the way to the Dung Gate.

NoteA thousand cubits is about 1,500 feet. That is roughly five football fields laid end to end.

14But 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.

14Malchiah son of Rechab fixed the Dung Gate, where trash was carried out. He was the ruler of the district of Bethhaccerem. He rebuilt the gate and put in its doors, bolts, and bars.

15But 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.

15Shallun son of Colhozeh fixed the Fountain Gate. He was the ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt the gate, put a roof on it, and put in its doors, bolts, and bars. He also fixed the wall by the Pool of Siloah, near the king's garden. He worked as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David.

16After 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.

16After him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk fixed the wall. He was the ruler of half the district of Bethzur. He worked up to the spot across from the tombs of David. He kept going to the pool that people had dug, and to the House of the Mighty Men.

17After 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.

17After him, the Levites fixed the wall. Levites were men who helped with the work of God's temple. Rehum son of Bani led them. Next to him, Hashabiah fixed the part for his own district. He was the ruler of half the district of Keilah.

18After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah.

18After him, their fellow workers fixed the next part. Bavai son of Henadad led them. He was the ruler of the other half of Keilah.

19And 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.

19Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua fixed another part. He was the ruler of Mizpah. He worked across from the way up to the armoury, the place where weapons were kept. That spot was at the bend in the wall.

20After 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.

20After him, Baruch son of Zabbai worked hard on another part. He fixed the wall from the bend to the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.

21After 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.

21After him, Meremoth son of Urijah, the son of Koz, fixed another part. He worked from the door of Eliashib's house to the far end of the house.

22And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain.

22After him, the priests who lived in the country around the city fixed the wall.

23After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over against their house. After him repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah by his house.

23After them, Benjamin and Hashub fixed the wall in front of their own house. After them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, fixed the wall beside his house.

24After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another piece, from the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall, even unto the corner.

24After him, Binnui son of Henadad fixed another part. He worked from the house of Azariah to the bend in the wall and the corner.

25Palal 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.

25Palal son of Uzai fixed the wall across from the bend. He also fixed the tower that sticks out from the king's upper palace, near the prison yard. After him came Pedaiah son of Parosh.

26Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out.

26The temple servants lived on the hill called Ophel. They fixed the wall across from the Water Gate on the east side. They also fixed the tower that sticks out there.

NoteThe KJV calls these workers "the Nethinims." That is an old word for the servants who helped at God's temple.

27After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over against the great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel.

27After them, the men of Tekoa fixed another part. They worked from the spot across from the big tower to the wall of Ophel.

28From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house.

28Above the Horse Gate, the priests fixed the wall. Each one worked on the part in front of his own house.

29After 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.

29After them, Zadok son of Immer fixed the wall in front of his house. After him, Shemaiah son of Shechaniah fixed his part. He was the guard of the East Gate.

30After 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.

30After him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah fixed another part. Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, worked with him. After them, Meshullam son of Berechiah fixed the wall in front of his own room.

31After 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.

31After him, Malchiah, a goldsmith, fixed the next part. He worked up to the house of the temple servants and the traders, across from the Miphkad Gate. He kept going to the upper room above the corner.

32And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.

32The goldsmiths and the traders fixed the last part. It ran from the upper room above the corner to the Sheep Gate.