Nehemiah 7:3 net — I said to them,“The gates of Jerusalem must not be opened in the early morning, until those who are standing guard clos…

NET Bible

"I said to them,“The gates of Jerusalem must not be opened in the early morning, until those who are standing guard close the doors and lock them. Position residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their guard stations and some near their homes.”"

— Nehemiah 7:3, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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Nehemiah 7:3 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.”

  • ASV

    “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. ”

  • WEB

    “I said to them, "Don't let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut the doors, and you bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, with everyone near his house."”

  • DRB

    “And I said to them: Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened till the sun be hot. And while they were yet standing by the gates were shut, and barred: and I set watchmen of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one by their courses, and every man over against his house.”

  • BBE

    “And I said to them, Do not let the doors of Jerusalem be open till the sun is high; and while the watchmen are in their places, let the doors be shut and locked: and let the people of Jerusalem be put on watch, every one in his watch, opposite his house.”

  • KJVA

    “And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar 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 — Context

1

When the wall had been rebuilt and I had positioned the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed,

2

I then put in charge over Jerusalem my brother Hanani and Hananiah the chief of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many do.

3

I said to them,“The gates of Jerusalem must not be opened in the early morning, until those who are standing guard close the doors and lock them. Position residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their guard stations and some near their homes.”

4

Now the city was spread out and large, and there were not a lot of people in it. At that time houses had not been rebuilt.

5

My God placed it on my heart to gather the leaders, the officials, and the ordinary people so they could be enrolled on the basis of genealogy. I found the genealogical records of those who had formerly returned. Here is what I found written in that record:

6

These are the people of the province who returned from the captivity of the exiles, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his own city.

Nehemiah 7:3 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Nehemiah 7:3 say?
Nehemiah 7:3 in the NET Bible reads: “I said to them,“The gates of Jerusalem must not be opened in the early morning, until those who are standing guard close the doors and lock them. Position residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their guard stations and some near their homes.””
Where is Nehemiah 7:3 in the Bible?
Nehemiah 7:3 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Nehemiah, chapter 7, verse 3.
Who wrote Nehemiah?
Nehemiah is traditionally attributed to Nehemiah (largely from his memoirs). It was written c. 445–425 BC.
What is the book of Nehemiah about?
Nehemiah, cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes, leads the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls against fierce opposition. The book combines stirring leadership with covenant renewal, ending with reform of priesthood, sabbath, and intermarriage.
What are the major themes of Nehemiah?
Nehemiah explores themes including Leadership, Prayer, Rebuilding, Opposition, Covenant Renewal. These themes shape the meaning and context of Nehemiah 7:3.
What translation should I read Nehemiah 7:3 in?
Nehemiah 7:3 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Nehemiah 7:3?
Nehemiah 7:3 reads (NET): “I said to them,“The gates of Jerusalem must not be opened in the early morning, until those who are standing guard close the doors and lock them. Position residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their guard stations and some near their homes.”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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