Nehemiah 7:3
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New International Version (©1984)
I said to them, "The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses."

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Then I said to them, "Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot, and while they are standing guard, let them shut and bolt the doors. Also appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post, and each in front of his own house."

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
I told them, "The gates of Jerusalem should not be opened at the hottest time of the day. While the [gatekeepers] are still standing there, they should shut the doors and bar them. Order some of the men in Jerusalem to stand guard, some at their posts and others in front of their homes."

King James Bible
And 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.

American King James Version
And I said to 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.

American Standard Version
And 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.

Bible in Basic English
And 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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And 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 mall over against his house.

Darby Bible Translation
And 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.

English Revised Version
And 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I said to them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun shall 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.

World English Bible
I said to them, "Don't let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut the doors, and you bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, with everyone near his house."

Young's Literal Translation
and 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.'

Geneva Study Bible

And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while {a} 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.

(a) That is, they who are mentioned, Ne 7:2.

Wesley's Notes

7:3 Hot - 'Till it be clear and broad day; when the people will be ready in case of an assault. They - The watches appointed to that end. Watches - Nehemiah was now about to return to the court, and left the charge of the city to these in his absence.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3. Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot, &c.-In the East it is customary to open the gates of a city at sunrise, and to bar them at sunset-a rule which is very rarely, and not except to persons of authority, infringed upon. Nehemiah recommended that the gates of Jerusalem should not be opened so early; a precaution necessary at a time when the enemy was practising all sorts of dangerous stratagems, to ensure that the inhabitants were all astir and enjoyed the benefit of clear broad daylight for observing the suspicious movements of any enemy. The propriety of regularly barring the gates at sunset was, in this instance, accompanied with the appointment of a number of the people to act as sentinels, each mounting guard in front of his own house.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:1-4 Nehemiah, having finished the wall, returned to the Persian court, and came to Jerusalem again with a new commission. The public safety depends on every one's care to guard himself and his family against sin.


Nehemiah 7:2 then I put Hanani my brother, and Hananiah the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many.
Nehemiah 7:4 Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few and the houses were not built. (NASB ©1995)

Appoint Appointed Bar Doors Gates Guard Hot House Inhabitants Jerusalem Opened Shut Stand Sun Watch Watches


And 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.

Let not the gates (This is, the gates were not to be opened till sun-rise, and to be shut at sun-set; which is still the custom in many cities of the East. If a traveller arrives after sun-set, he finds the gates shut, and on no consideration will they open them till morning.) 13:19 Ps 127:1 Mt 10:16

every one to be 3:23,28-30

Bible Gateway: Nehemiah Chapter 7 Verse 3 NIV ESV NKJV NLT KJV Message Amplified

Alphabetical: Also and appoint are as at bar be bolt Do doors duty each from front gatekeepers gates guard guards have his hot house houses I in inhabitants is Jerusalem let near not of on opened own post posts residents said shut some standing still sun The their them Then they to until While

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OT History: Nehemiah 7:3 I said to them Don't let (Neh Ne) Christian Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools

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