Nehemiah 7:3
What does Nehemiah 7:3 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 7:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 7:3 means
Nehemiah institutes strict gate policies: open the gates only when the sun is hot, close and bar them while guards are on duty, and appoint neighborhood watches with each family responsible near its own home. The measures reflect vigilance and practicality. Late opening and early closing minimize vulnerability at dawn and dusk, common times for attack. Assigning watch stations near homes creates personal investment and accountability. These protocols show that faith in God’s protection works through sensible planning. The community must remain alert, especially as the city is still sparsely populated and its opponents have not disappeared with the wall’s completion.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand on guard, let them shut the doors, and bar ye them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand on guard, let them shut the doors, and bar ye them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And I said to them, Do not let the doors of Jerusalem be open till the sun is high; and while the watchmen are in their places, let the doors be shut and locked: and let the people of Jerusalem be put on watch, every one in his watch, opposite his house.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and I say to them, `Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened till the heat of the sun, and while they are standing by let them shut the doors, and fasten, and appoint guards of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each in his guard, and each over-against his house.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And I said to them: Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened till the sun be hot. And while they were yet standing by the gates were shut, and barred: and I set watchmen of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one by their courses, and every man over against his house.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And I said to them that the gates of Jerusalem should not be opened until the sun was hot, and that they should shut the doors and bar them while they stood by; and that there should be appointed watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one over against his house.
Context
After selecting faithful overseers in verse 2, verse 3 sets detailed security procedures. The policies are tailored to Jerusalem’s situation: newly built walls, fresh opposition, and few inhabitants. These measures explain how the city can operate safely while other priorities unfold. The next verse (4) notes the city’s size and sparse population, providing the rationale for community-based watches. Soon afterward (verse 5), Nehemiah turns to genealogical organization. Thus the security framework ensures stability while the people’s identity and distribution are addressed in the long register that follows.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 10:16
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
- Nehemiah 3:28
Above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his own house.
- Nehemiah 3:23
After them repaired Benjamin and Hasshub over against their house. After them repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah beside his own house.
- Psalms 127:1
Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain.
- Nehemiah 13:19
And it came to pass that, when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I over the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
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