Nehemiah 3:16

“After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Bethzur.] A strong fortified place in the tribe of Judah, (<061558>Joshua 15:58), unto the place over against the sepulchres of David; where he and his family, and the kings of his race, were buried, which remained to this time untouched by the Babylonians, and to many ages after; (see <440229>Acts 2:29) and to the pool that was made; not a natural, but an artificial one, which was made by Hezekiah, (<122020>2 Kings 20:20), and unto the house of the mighty; where was a garrison of soldiers in former time for defence.”

“the sepulchres of David, and to the pool that was made, and unto the house of the mighty--that is, along the precipitous cliffs of Zion [BARCLAY].”

“Beth-zur - Now Beit-sur, on the road from Jerusalem to Hebron Joshua 15:58. By “the sepulchres of David” must be understood the burial place in which David and the kings his descendants to the time of Hezekiah were interred. This was an excavation in the rock, in the near vicinity of the temple Ezekiel 43:7-9, and on its western side. The position of the burial-place was well known until the destruction of the city by Titus; but modern research has not yet discovered it. The pool - Probably that made by Hezekiah in the Tyropoeon valley, west of the temple area (marginal reference). return to 'Top of Page'”

“Made - By Hezekiah, Kg2 20:20. Whereby it is distinguished from that pool which was natural. Mighty - Or, of the valiant: which possibly was formerly appointed for the receipt of those chief captains that should attend upon the king in their courses. Nehemiah 3:20”

“3:16-32 These verses describe the building of the new eastern wall. 3:16 The district of Beth-zur was located just north of Hebron. • The tombs of David’s family might refer to where King David was buried (1 Kgs 2:10; 11:43; 2 Chr 21:20; Acts 2:29), and the House of the Warriors might have been a tomb for David’s mighty men (2 Sam 23:8-39).”

“the ruler: Neh 3:9, Neh 3:12, Neh 3:14 Bethzur: Jos 15:58; Ch1 2:45; Ch2 11:7 the sepulchres: Ch2 16:14; Act 2:29 the pool: Kg2 20:20; Isa 7:3, Isa 22:11 the house: Kg1 14:27, Kg1 14:28; Ch2 12:10, Ch2 12:11; Sol 3:7 Nehemiah 3:17”

“The wall from the steps leading from the city of David to the angle opposite the armoury. From Neh 3:16 onwards we find for the most part אחריו, after him, instead of ידו על, which only occurs again in Neh 3:17 and Neh 3:19. Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of half the district of Beth-zur (see rem. on Ch2 11:7), repaired the wall as far as "opposite the sepulchres of David, and unto the pool that was made, and to the house of the heroes." The sepulchres of David are the sepulchres of the house of David in the city of David (comp. Ch2 32:33). "Opposite the sepulchres of David" is the length of wall on the eastern side of Zion, where was probably, as Thenius endeavours to show in the…”