Nehemiah 3:19

‘And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another portion, opposite the ascent to the armoury at the turning (of the wall).'

‘Next to him', as in Nehemiah 3:17, may be intended to indicate the close relationship between the Levites as they worked in association.

Thus next to Bavvai and the men of Keilah repaired Ezer and the men of Mizpeh. They repaired the portion opposite the ascent to the armoury ‘at the turning' or ‘at the angle' or ‘by the buttress' or ‘by the escarpment'. The meaning of the word is uncertain and probably means ‘a place where something is cut off or ends abruptly'. It was no doubt easily identifiable at the time. The same word occurs in Nehemiah 3:20; Nehemiah 3:24. The armoury would be within the walls at the point where there was an angle. A further ‘angle' to the wall is mentioned in Nehemiah 3:24. Perhaps the wall angled outwards, and then back in again.

Ezer was ruler of Mizpah. See on Nehemiah 3:15. An Ezer (meaning ‘help') was also a musician in one of the large companies appointed by Nehemiah to give thanks at the dedication of the wall (Nehemiah 12:42). Elsewhere it is the name of a Horite chief (Genesis 36:21; 1 Chronicles 1:38); a Judahite (1 Chronicles 4:4); an Ephraimite, slain by men from Gath (1 Chronicles 7:21); and a Gadite who followed David while in exile as a result of the wrath of Saul (1 Chronicles 12:9). It was a regular Jewish name.