Building the Fish Gate - Nehemiah 3:3

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah went back to the city of Jerusalem to rebuild it, “then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel. And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri. But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof”, and in chapter three and verse four of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “but the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build”, where we read,

But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof,

and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof

The verse reads, “But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams thereof, ...”. Nehemiah began with the words, “but the fish gate” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover the portal, opening and entry way known as the squirming or moving fish gate” “did the sons of Hassenaah build” which means “the male offspring and progeny belonging to Hassenaah whose name means thorny erected, established and rebuilt”, “who also laid the beams thereof” or “which were the men who even so and indeed presented and furnished the wooden beams within the gate”. Nehemiah shared how the male offspring of “Hassenaah” rebuilt the moving “fish gate” and supplied the wooden beams which were necessary to build it. 

The verse continues, “... and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.” Nehemiah added the words, “and set up the doors thereof” or “and stood upright and erected the gated doors within the fish gate”, “the locks thereof” which means “the bolted locks within the fish gate”,  “and the bars thereof” or “and the wooden bars of the fish gate”. Nehemiah shared how the offspring of “Hassenaah” also stood upright the doors of the fish gate, the bolted locks of the fish gate and the wooden bars of the fish gate. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah how the male progeny belonging to “Hassenaah” were responsible for rebuilding the “gate, doors, lock and bars” belonging to the portal known as the “fish gate”. Each of these men and their families were working to reestablish the barrier walls to the city of Jerusalem, and because the people of Israel were to be protected from opposition by these “walls”, “Hassenaah” and the others were accomplishing the will of Almighty God. God wants every person to be a part in His Kingdom, and access to Him is gain when we believe and trust in His Son Jesus who was crucified on the cross and resurrected from the dead three days later as our personal “Savior and Lord”. When we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and equip us with what we need to recognize and fulfill the work we are to complete according to His purpose and plans for our lives. 

Next time Nehemiah says, “next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".