After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner.

NEHEMIAH 3:31KJV
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Nehemiah 3:31 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 3:31 mean?

Nehemiah 3:31 describes how Malchiah, the son of a goldsmith, repaired a section of Jerusalem’s wall near the area where the Nethinims (temple servants) and merchants worked, close to the Miphkad Gate and up to the corner of the wall. This verse highlights the specific people and locations involved in the rebuilding effort.

Nehemiah, the governor of Jerusalem, is recording the names and work of those who helped restore the city’s walls after the Babylonian exile. The verse shows the organized teamwork, with different groups and tradesmen responsible for different sections. Mentioning the Nethinims, merchants, and specific gates gives a sense of the city’s daily life and the variety of people involved in the restoration.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 3:31

  • נְתִינִים (Nethinims, nethinim): This word refers to a group of temple servants assigned to help the Levites. Their mention here shows that even those with humble roles in temple service contributed to the rebuilding.
  • סוֹחֵר (merchants, socher): This term points to those involved in trade. Including merchants emphasizes that the rebuilding was a community-wide effort, not just a religious or political task.
  • שַׁעַר (gate, sha‛ar): The gate called Miphkad (מִפְקָד, miphkad) is mentioned, which may have been a place for gathering or inspection. Its specific naming helps map the progress and organization of the work.

Why Nehemiah 3:31 matters

  • Nehemiah 3:31 shows that the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall was a shared project involving all kinds of people, from skilled craftsmen to merchants and temple servants.
  • The verse helps readers picture the city’s layout and the careful record-keeping of who worked where, which adds credibility and detail to the account.
  • By naming individuals and their trades, the verse honors each person’s contribution and highlights the unity and cooperation needed to restore the city.

Where else these words appear

“Malchiah” Hebrew H4441 · used in 15 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 6:40 The son of Michael, the son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchiah,
  • Ezra 10:31 And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
  • Nehemiah 11:12 And their brethren that did the work of the house were eight hundred twenty and two: and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchiah,

“Nethinims” Hebrew H5411 · used in 15 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 9:2 Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims.
  • Ezra 7:7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
  • Nehemiah 7:60 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

“merchants” Hebrew H7402 · used in 15 verses

  • 1 Kings 10:15 Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.
  • Ezekiel 17:4 He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.
  • Ezekiel 27:20 Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots.

“up” Hebrew H5944 · used in 20 verses

  • Judges 3:20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
  • 1 Kings 17:23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
  • 2 Chronicles 3:9 And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold.