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Nehemiah 7:3

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Nehemiah 7:3 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “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.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

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.
Nehemiah 7:3 — American Standard Version

Context — Nehemiah 7

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,
2that I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the castle, charge over Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
3And 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.
4Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.
5And my God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of them that came up at the first, and I found written therein:
6These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and that returned unto Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;
← Nehemiah 7:2Nehemiah 7:4 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And I said unto them, let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot, etc.] 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…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“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…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Until the sun be hot - An unusual precaution. The ordinary practice in the East is to open town gates at sunrise. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“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. Nehemiah 7:5”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“7:3 The gatekeepers were apparently supposed to close the gates during the time in the afternoon when people were resting and were not prepared to defend the city from attack. Elsewhere, similar language refers to the portion of the day when the sun is the hottest and people retreat inside (Gen 18:1; 2 Sam 4:5).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“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. Neh 13:19; Psa 127:1; Mat 10:16 every one to be: Neh 3:23, Neh 3:28-30 Nehemiah 7:4”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification