Attributed commentary excerpt
Barnes' Notes on Zephaniah 1:10
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Notes on the Whole Bible
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · 19th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
A cry from the fish-gate - “The fish-gate” was probably in the north of the wall of “the second city.” For in Nehemiah’s rebuilding, the restoration began at the sheep-gate Nehemiah 3:1 (so called doubtless, because the sheep for the sacrifices were brought in by it), which, as being near the temple, was repaired by the priests; then it ascended northward, by two towers, the towers of Meah and Hananeel; then two companies repaired some undescribed part of the wall Nehemiah 3:2, and then another company built the fish-gate Nehemiah 3:3. Four companies are then mentioned, who repaired, in order, to the old gate, which was repaired by another company Nehemiah 3:4-6. Three more companies repaired beyond these; and they left Jerusalem unto the broad wall Nehemiah 3:7-8. After three more sections repaired by individuals, two others repaired a second measured portion, and the tower of the furnaces Nehemiah 3:9-11. This order is reversed in the account of the dedication of the walls. The people being divided “into two great companies of them that give thanks” Nehemiah 12:31-38, some place near “the tower of the furnaces” was the central point, from which both parted to encompass the city in opposite directions. In this account, we have two additional gates mentioned, “the gate of Ephraim” Nehemiah 12:39, between the “broad wall” and the “old gate,” and “the prison-gate,” beyond “the sheep-gate,” from which the repairs had begun. “The gate of Ephraim” had obviously not been repaired, because, for some reason, it had not been destroyed. Elsewhere, Nehemiah, who describes the rebuilding of the wall so minutely, must have mentioned its rebuilding. It was obviously to the north, as leading to Ephraim. But the tower of Hananeel must have been a very marked tower. In Zechariah Jerusalem is measured from north to south, “from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses” Zechariah 14:10. It was then itself at the northeast corner of Jerusalem, where towers were of most importance to strengthen the wall, and to command the approach to the wall either way. “The fish-gate” then, lying between it and “the gate of Ephraim,” must have been on the north side of the city, and so on the side where the Chaldaean invasions came; yet it must have been much inside the present city, because the city itself was enlarged by Herod Agrippa on the north, as it was unaccountably contracted on the south. The then limits of Jerusalem are defined. For Josephus thus describes “the second wall.” (B. J. v. 42): “It took its beginning from that gate which they called “Gennath,” which belonged to the first wall; it only encompassed the northern quarter of the city and reached as far as the tower of Antonia.” The tower of Antonia was situated at the northwest angle of the corner of the temple. The other end of the wall, the Gennath or “garden” gate, must have opened on cultivated land; and Josephus speaks of the gardens on the north and northwest of the city which were destroyed by Titus in leveling the ground (B. J. v. 32). But near the tower of Hippicus, the northwestern extremity of the first wall, no ancient remains have been discovered by excavation ; but they have been traced north, from “an ancient Jewish semi-circular arch, resting on piers 18 feet high, now buried in rubbish.” These old foundations have been traced at three places in a line on the east of the Holy Sepulchre (which lay consequently outside the city) up to the judgment gate, but not north of it . Th…
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