The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung gate.

NEHEMIAH 3:13KJV
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Nehemiah 3:13 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 3:13 mean?

Nehemiah 3:13 describes how Hanun and the people of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate in Jerusalem, rebuilding it with its doors, locks, and bars, and also restoring a long stretch of the city wall—about a thousand cubits—leading to the Dung Gate. This verse highlights the organized effort and specific contributions of different groups in rebuilding Jerusalem’s defenses.

In the book of Nehemiah, the speaker is the narrator (traditionally Nehemiah himself), recording the names and work of those who helped restore Jerusalem’s walls after the Babylonian exile. The verse gives credit to Hanun and the Zanoah residents for their work on a major gate and a significant section of the wall, showing the communal and detailed nature of the project.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 3:13

  • גַּיְא (gay’, H1516) — “valley”: This word points to the location of the gate, which was near a valley outside Jerusalem, likely making it a vulnerable entry point that needed strong defenses.
  • דֶּלֶת (delet, H1817) — “doors”: The mention of doors, along with locks and bars, emphasizes that the gate was made secure, not just rebuilt in a basic way.
  • בְּרִיחַ (beriach, H1280) — “bars”: This term refers to horizontal beams used to reinforce the gate, showing attention to both security and craftsmanship.
  • אֶלֶף אַמָּה (elef ammah, H505 H520) — “a thousand cubits”: This measurement (roughly 1,500 feet or 450 meters) highlights the significant length of wall repaired, underlining the scale of the work done by this group.

Why Nehemiah 3:13 matters

  • Nehemiah 3:13 clarifies that the rebuilding was not just about the gates but also included large sections of the wall, showing the thoroughness of the restoration.
  • The verse highlights the cooperation of people from outside Jerusalem (Zanoah), showing that the city’s security was a shared concern for the whole region.
  • By listing specific features like doors, locks, and bars, the verse emphasizes the seriousness and quality of the work, not just its completion.

Where else these words appear

“Zanoah” Hebrew H2182 · used in 5 verses

  • Joshua 15:34 And Zanoah, and Engannim, Tappuah, and Enam,
  • Joshua 15:56 And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
  • 1 Chronicles 4:18 And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took.

“locks” Hebrew H4514 · used in 6 verses

  • Nehemiah 3:3 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.
  • Nehemiah 3:6 Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
  • Nehemiah 3:15 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.

“dung” Hebrew H830 · used in 7 verses

  • 1 Samuel 2:8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.
  • Nehemiah 3:14 But the dung gate repaired 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.
  • Psalms 113:7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;

“Hanun” Hebrew H2586 · used in 10 verses

  • 2 Samuel 10:1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.
  • 2 Samuel 10:4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
  • 1 Chronicles 19:4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.