And I said unto them, let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot,.... Or until the heat of the day, or near noon; at least not till the sun had been up some time, and shone out clearly, and caused much heat; that if any enemies were near, or lying in wait, they might be discovered, and the inhabitants also up and ready to defend themselves:and while they stand by; according to Aben Ezra, Hanani and Hananiah were to be present at the opening and shutting of the gates, and so Grotius; but these being the chief rulers, it is not likely; but rather those whom they appointed to look after them, these were to stand by while their servants did it; they were not to leave it wholly to them, but to see it done themselves:let them shut the doors, and bar them; or "lay hold" on them, handle them to see whether they are shut fast or not:and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, and everyone to be over against his house; no foreigners were to be of the watch, only inhabitants, and those everyone in their turn, and to be placed over against where they dwelt; and so it might be thought would be the more careful and diligent in their watch.
Bible Commentary
Nehemiah 7:3
Nehemiah 7:3
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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Nehemiah 7 — OverviewNehemiah 7 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleThe success of one good design for God and our generation should
encourage us to proceed and form some other; Nehemiah did so, having
fortified Jerusalem with gates and walls, his next care is, I. To see
the…Nehemiah 7 — OverviewNehemiah 7 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeNehemiah 7:1, Nehemiah commits the charge of Jerusalem to Hanani and Hananiah; Nehemiah 7:5, A register of the genealogy of them which came at the first out of Babylon; Nehemiah 7:9, of the people; Nehemiah 7:39, of the…Nehemiah 7 — OverviewNehemiah 7 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleNehemiah having built the wall, and set up the doors, appointed two persons to take the charge of the city, and set watches for the safety of it, and to take special care about opening and shutting the gates of it, Ne…Nehemiah 7:1-4Nehemiah 7:1-4 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleGod saith concerning his church (Isa. lxii. 6), I have set watchmen
upon thy walls, O Jerusalem! This is Nehemiah's care here; for dead
walls, without living watchmen, are but a poor defence to a city.
I. He…Nehemiah 7:1-4Nehemiah 7:1-4 · The Pulpit CommentaryProvision for safety and numerical increase.
The wall being completed and the gates set in their places, Nehemiah takes measures for the regular defence of the city, and for increasing its population.
I. THE GUARDING…Nehemiah 7:1-4Nehemiah 7:1-4 · The Pulpit CommentaryMoral guardianship.
I. THE THINGS IN THE CHURCH WHICH NEED TO BE GUARDED. "Charge over Jerusalem" (Nehemiah 7:2).
1. The doctrines of the Church.
2. The members of the Church.
3. The temporal interests of the…