Matthew Henry on Nehemiah 3:1–end
The best way to know how to divide this chapter is to observe how the work was divided among the undertakers, that every one might know what he had to do, and mind it accordingly with a holy emulation, and desire to excel, yet without any contention, animosity, or separate interest. No strife appears among them but which should do most for the public good. Several things are observable in the account here given of the building of the wall about Jerusalem: -
I. That Eliashib the high priest, with his brethren the priests, led the van in this troop of builders, Neh 3:1. Ministers should be foremost in every good work; for their office obliges them to teach and quicken by their example, as wel…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Nehemiah 3:12
Shallum . . . he and his daughters--who were either heiresses or rich widows. They undertook to defray the expenses of a part of the wall next them.
Adam Clarke on Nehemiah 3:12
The son of Halohesh - Or, the son of the Enchanter: conjectured to be thus named from having the art to charm serpents.
The ruler of the half part - See on Neh 3:9 (note).
John Gill on Nehemiah 3:12
And next unto him repaired Shallum, the son of Hallohesh,.... So called, as Ben Melech says, from his being an enchanter of serpents, or a wise prudent counsellor:
the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem; of the other half; see Nehemiah 3:9
he and his daughters; who were rich widows or heiresses, and employed men to build at their own expense; he seems to have had no sons.
Keil & Delitzsch on Nehemiah 3:6-12
From the gate of the old wall to the valley gate. - Neh 3:6 הישׁנה שׁער does not mean the old gate, for הישׁנה is genitive. Schultz (Jerus. p. 90), Thenius, and Bertheau supply העיר, gate of the old town, and explain the name from the fact that Bezetha, the new town, already existed as a suburb or village in front of the gate, which was named after the contrast. To this Arnold rightly objects (in Herzog's Realencycl. xviii. p. 628) that it is by no means proved that there was at that time any contrast between the old and new towns, and as well as Hupfeld (die topograph. Streitfragen ber Jerus., in the morgenl. Zeitschrift, xv. p. 231) supplies חומה: gate of the old wall. He does not, however…
