What Does Nehemiah 3:3 Mean in the King James?
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.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Hebrew lets the words for “sons” and “build” echo the same root, joining living lineage with the work of raising a structure.
THE MEANING
An opening becomes usable through more than a gap: its beams, doors, locks, and bars all belong to the work. The Hebrew places “sons” beside “build,” letting a family word and a construction word resonate as restoration takes shape through shared hands.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that making an opening is the whole repair: without support and boundaries, access is incomplete.
THE ROOT
בְּנֵי
bənê
GROWS FROM
בנה
To build or establish; in family language, to build up a household through offspring.
“sons / build” in this verse is bənê. The verse places בְּנֵי (bənê, “sons”) beside וַיִּבְנוּ (wayyivnû, “they built”), echoing the בנה (banah, “build”) word family. Hebrew can speak of establishing a family as being built up, so this line lets living lineage and communal construction resonate together.
ALSO GROWS
banah: To build or establish
בָּנָה
This is the verb describing what the sons do to the gate.
ben: Son / sons
בֵּן / בָּנִים
The builders are named with a family word that echoes the root of “build”; Genesis 16:2 uses the related idea of being built up through offspring.
THE PATTERN
Repair takes a community’s hands to raise a structure and make its openings secure.
Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.THE THREAD
And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.Genesis 16:2 renders Sarah’s phrase as “obtain children,” but the Hebrew is אִבָּנֶה מִמֶּנָּה (ʾibbāneh mimmennāh, “I may be built up through her”), from בנה (banah, “build”). The same word family echoes in Nehemiah’s “sons” and “build,” bringing family and construction together in one root.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us