The Levites Repairing - Nehemiah 3:17

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah went back to the city of Jerusalem and began to rebuild the wall. Among many people he employed was, “Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Bethhaccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David. After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Bethzur, unto the place over against the sepulchers of David, and to the pool that was made, and unto the house of the mighty”, and in chapter three and verse sixteen of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “after him repaired the Levites”, where we read,

After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. 

Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his part.

The verse reads, “After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani.” Nehemiah began with the words, “after him repaired the Levites” or “following him, Nehemiah, strengthened, hardened and made firm the descendants of Levi whose name means joined to and were specially set aside by God for His service”, “Rehum” whose name means “compassion” “the son of Bani” or “the male offspring and progeny belonging to Bani whose name means built”. Nehemiah shared how “the Levites” and  “Rehum” rebuilt the section of the wall next to him. 

The verse continues, “Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his part.” Nehemiah added the words, “next unto him” or “beside and in proximity to him, Rehum” “repaired Hashabiah” which means “strengthened, hardened and made firm Hashabiah whose name means Jehovah has considered”, “the ruler of the half part of Keilah” or “the leader, chief, chieftain and official pertaining to one half of the portion belonging to Keilah whose name means fortress”, “in his part” which means “within his, Hashabiah's, own district”. Nehemiah shared how “Hashabiah”, who was the ruling official of one half portion of “Keilah”, rebuilt the barrier wall of Jerusalem within his own district.

When we think through Nehemiah's words in this verse, we discover how “the Levites” and two more men who rebuilt the barrier wall to Jerusalem. “Rehum” and “Hashabiah” worked to reestablish the protective wall, and even as “Hashabiah” was the ruling official in the area he rebuilt, he focused on his own section in his work. Sometimes, the best area for us to work in God's Kingdom is our own home. God wants every person to be in a personal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus who was crucified on the cross and raised from the dead after three days, and when we yield our lives to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and equip us to work in our own location first, and then unto the uttermost parts of the world. (See Acts 1:8) 

Next time Nehemiah says, “after him repaired their brethren”, 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".