Nehemiah 3:12

What does Nehemiah 3:12 mean?

A plain-English look at Nehemiah 3:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Nehemiah 3:12 means

Shallum, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, repairs alongside his daughters. This is striking: a civic leader working with his household, including women, visibly involved in the reconstruction. The verse highlights that the project’s scope required every capable hand, and that families found honorable roles in the work. Dignity lies not in status but in service. The inclusion of his daughters affirms the shared stake of all in the city’s security and worship. Their labor, recorded for posterity, testifies that love for God’s people and place overcame convention when necessity and devotion called.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Near them was Shallum, the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of half Jerusalem, with his daughters.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And by his hand hath Shallum son of Halohesh, head of the half of the district of Jerusalem, strengthened, he and his daughters.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And next to him built Sellum the son of Alohes, lord of half the street of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And next to them repaired Shallum the son of Hallohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

Context

Placed after families who took additional portions, this note widens participation to include women, underlining the project’s comprehensive nature. With both rulers and their households engaged, the narrative prepares to describe longer runs between major gates on the city’s western and southern edges. The next verses will record extensive stretches built by entire towns, signaling the scale of work required beyond the immediate neighborhoods.

v.11Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hasshub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired another portion, and the tower of the furnaces.

v.12This passage

v.13The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits of the wall unto the dung gate.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Nehemiah 3:14

    And the dung gate repaired Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth-haccherem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the bolts thereof, and the bars thereof.

  • Acts 21:8

    And on the morrow we departed, and came unto Cæsarea: and entering into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we abode with him.

  • Philippians 4:3

    Yea, I beseech thee also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

  • Nehemiah 3:9

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

  • Exodus 35:25

    And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, the blue, and the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen.

Related questions readers ask