Securing the City

Nehemiah 7:3

In 11 translations

BSB: And I told them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While the guards are on duty, keep the doors shut and securely fastened. And appoint the residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their own homes.”
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.
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.”
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.
LSV: and I say to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the heat of the sun, and while they are standing by let them shut the doors, and fasten, and appoint guards of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his watch, and each in front of his house.”
YLT: and I say to them, 'Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened till the heat of the sun, and while they are standing by let them shut the doors, and fasten, and appoint guards of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each in his guard, and each over-against his house.'
DBY: And I said to them that the gates of Jerusalem should not be opened until the sun was hot, and that they should shut the doors and bar them while they stood by; and that there should be appointed watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one over against his house.
DRC: 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 mall over against his house.
GNV: And I saide vnto them, Let not the gates of Ierusalem be opened, vntill the heate of the sunne: and while they stande by, let them shut the doores, and make them fast: and I appointed wardes of the inhabitants of Ierusalem, euery one in his warde, and euery one ouer against his house.
JPS: 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 let watches be appointed of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.'
LXXE: And I said to them, The gates of Jerusalem shall not be opened till sunrise; and while they are still watching, let the doors be shut, and bolted; and set watches of them that dwell in Jerusalem, every man at his post, and every man over against his house.

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Words in brackets are English the glossers added; the Hebrew has no word for them, and they can carry a choice of tense or meaning.

Where the editions differ

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Written (Ketiv): וַיֹּאמֶר (“and he said”). Read aloud (Qere): וָאֹמַ֣ר (“and I said”) — the form shown in the word-by-word reader.

Spelling, punctuation and minor wording (1)

Leningrad Codex reads וָיאֹמַ֣ר; read aloud (Qere) reads וָאֹמַ֣ר (“and I said”).

Edition differences: STEP Bible, based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0). Names and codes expanded; consecutive words grouped. Comparisons follow the editions used by the source; see version details.

Original-language editions

WLC: ויאמר לָהֶ֗ם לֹ֣א יִפָּֽתְח֞וּ שַׁעֲרֵ֤י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ עַד־חֹ֣ם הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ וְעַ֨ד הֵ֥ם עֹמְדִ֛ים יָגִ֥יפוּ הַדְּלָת֖וֹת וֶאֱחֹ֑זוּ וְהַעֲמֵ֗יד מִשְׁמְרוֹת֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם אִ֚ישׁ בְּמִשְׁמָר֔וֹ וְאִ֖ישׁ נֶ֥גֶד בֵּיתֽוֹ׃Read aloud as (qere): וָאֹמַ֣ר
LXX-Br17:3: Καὶ εἶπα αὐτοῖς, οὐκ ἀνοιγήσονται πύλαι Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἕως ἅμα τῷ ἡλίῳ· καὶ ἔτι αὐτῶν γρηγορούντων, κλειέσθωσαν αἱ θύραι, καὶ σφηνούσθωσαν· καὶ στῆσον προφύλακας οἰκούντων ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ἀνὴρ ἐν προφυλακῇ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνὴρ ἀπέναντι οἰκίας αὐτοῦ.

Who and where

📍 Jerusalem

People, places and events the Theographic dataset links to this verse.

In the reference works topics that cite this verse

Genealogy Versions, Georgian, Gothic, Slavonic Acud Addus Baiterus Barodis Maneh Michmas or Michmash Ezra-Nehemiah Hananiah

From public-domain Bible dictionaries and topical indexes (1884–1915).

Cross-references most cited first

Nehemiah 3:28–30Above the Horse Gate, each of the priests made repairs in front of his own house. Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house, and next to him, Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the guard of the East…
Matthew 10:16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Nehemiah 13:19When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no…
Nehemiah 3:23Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house, and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house.
Psalms 127:1Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain.

From the OpenBible.info cross-reference set (votes from readers; not every link is a quotation or allusion).