Nehemiah 3:19

And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the turning of the wall.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) At the turning of the wall.—Literally, the armoury of the corner: the north-west corner of the “city of David,” with its special wall.

Benson Commentary

Nehemiah 3:19. The going up to the armory — Either to the house, or the forest of Lebanon, which was their armory from Solomon’s days, (Isaiah 22:8,) or to some other place, which, either before or since that time, had been used as another and less armory for common occasions. At the turning of the wall — Or, at the corners.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:1-32 The rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. - The work was divided, so that every one might know what he had to do, and mind it, with a desire to excel; yet without contention, or separate interests. No strife appears among them, but which should do most for the public good. Every Israelite should lend a hand toward the building up of Jerusalem. Let not nobles think any thing below them, by which they may advance the good of their country. Even some females helped forward the work. Some repaired over against their houses, and one repaired over against his chamber. When a general good work is to be done, each should apply himself to that part which is within his reach. If every one will sweep before his own door, the street will be clean; if every one will mend one, we shall all be mended. Some that had first done helped their fellows. The walls of Jerusalem, in heaps of rubbish, represent the desperate state of the world around, while the number and malice of those who hindered the building, give some faint idea of the enemies we have to contend with, while executing the work of God. Every one must begin at home; for it is by getting the work of God advanced in our own souls that we shall best contribute to the good of the church of Christ. May the Lord thus stir up the hearts of his people, to lay aside their petty disputes, and to disregard their worldly interests, compared with building the walls of Jerusalem, and defending the cause of truth and godliness against the assaults of avowed enemies.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Bavai - Or, "Binnui" Nehemiah 3:24; Nehemiah 10:9.

The armoury at the turning of the wall - literally, "the armoury of the corner." The northwestern corner of the special wall of the "city of David" seems to be intended. See Nehemiah 3:1 note.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

19. at the turning of the wall—that is, the wall across the Tyropœon, being a continuation of the first wall, connecting Mount Zion with the temple wall [Barclay].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

To the armory; either to the house of the forest of Lebanon, which was their armory from Solomon’s days, Isaiah 22:8; or to some other place, which either before or since that time had been used as another and less armory for common occasions.

At the turning of the wall; or, at the corner; or, which is in the corner.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And next to him repaired Ezer, the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah,.... Either of another Mizpah, or of the other half of Mizpah, Nehemiah 3:15

another piece; or a second piece; one of the two pieces; for another is mentioned in the next verse:

over against the going up to the armoury, at the turning of the wall; the western wall towards the south, near to which was a place where armour was laid up; perhaps the same with the tower of David, to which there is an allusion in Sol 4:4.

Geneva Study Bible

And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the {d} turning of the wall.

(d) Where the weapons and armour of the city lay.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. Ezer … the ruler of Mizpah, another piece] R.V. portion. ‘The ruler of Mizpah’ as distinguished from ‘the ruler of the district of Mizpah’ (Nehemiah 3:15).

over against the going up to the armoury at the turning of the wall]. A much-disputed piece of topography. There is nothing to show in which direction the wall turned.

The ‘armoury’ will naturally be connected with the mention of ‘the house of the mighty men’ of Nehemiah 3:16; to the N. of which the present description seems to place it. The ‘armoury’ is mentioned in 1 Kings 10:17; 1 Kings 10:21; 1 Kings 14:26; Isaiah 22:8.

‘the turning of the wall.’ This spot is referred to in 2 Chronicles 26:9; ‘Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.’ It was clearly then strategically one of the most important points in the fortifications of the city.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 19. - Another piece. Ezer has not been previously mentioned as repairing any portion of the wall; but "the men of Mizpah" have been mentioned as so doing (ver. 7). Ezer had apparently succeeded to "Jadon the Meronothita, as the superintendant of the Mizpah working-party. The going up to the armoury at the turning of the wall. Literally, "the ascent to the armoury of the corner." There were probably several armouries in Jerusalem (see Isaiah 22:8). This one was called "the armoury of the corner," being situated at the north-western angle of the special wall of the city of David. There was an "ascent" to it, either by steps, or by a steep pathway, from the Tyropoeon valley. Nehemiah 3:19

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Next to these repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece (on שׁנית מדּה, see rem. on Nehemiah 3:11) opposite the ascent to the armoury of the angle. הנּשׁק or הנּשׁק (in most editions) is probably an abbreviation of בּית־הנּשׁק, arsenal, armoury; and המּקצוע is, notwithstanding the article in הנּשׁק, genitive; for to combine it as an accusative with עלותּ, and read, "the going up of the armoury upon the angle," gives no suitable meaning. The locality itself cannot indeed be more precisely stated. The armoury was probably situate on the east side of Zion, at a place where the wall of the city formed an angle; or it occupied an angle within the city itself, no other buildings adjoining it on the south. The opinion of Bertheau, that the armoury stood where the tower described by Tobler (Dritte Wand. p. 228) stands, viz., about midway between the modern Zion gate and the dung-gate, and of which he says that "its lower strata of stones are undoubtedly of a remoter date than the rebuilding of the wall in the sixteenth century," coincides with the assumption already refuted, that the old wall of the city of David passed, like the southern wall of modern Jerusalem, over Mount Zion.