Nehemiah 3:4

‘And next to them repaired Meremoth the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz.'

The verb now changes from ‘rebuilt' to ‘repaired, made strong'. This may indicate that in this section the walls were in a better state of preservation. But as it is also used of the building of new walls later in the chapter it is possibly simply a general term for building.

This important northern section was repaired under the oversight of Meremoth, the son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz. It is probable that he is the same Meremoth, son of Uriah, son of Hazzoz, who is described as being in charge of a group of priestly builders in Nehemiah 3:21 with regard to ‘a second portion'. Thus he was clearly seen as very reliable, having oversight over two portions. It has been suggested that Nehemiah 3:17 may suggest that that Meremoth was a Levite, which might discount the connection, but that interpretation is not necessary.

One question is whether this Meremoth is to be identified with Meremoth the son of Uriah who was one of the treasurers to whom Ezra handed over the treasures that he had brought from Persia (Ezra 8:33). There he was called ‘the priest', i.e. one of the chief priests. While that Meremoth is not also further called ‘the son of Hakkoz' there is a good likelihood that the identity can be maintained, even though it be admitted that both names were popular ones. This would make Meremoth a very important man, and would serve to confirm the close association of the ministry of Ezra with the time of Nehemiah. The problem with this identification is that the sons of Hakkoz had not earlier been accepted as priests because they could not prove their genealogy (Ezra 2:62), but it is quite probable that by this time that had been remedied. In Nehemiah 10:6 a Meremoth is listed as eleventh among the priests, but is seen as important enough to be called on as a sealant of the covenant of Nehemiah. This may well be the same Meremoth. In Nehemiah 12:3 a Meremoth, (clearly not the same one), was one of the chiefs of the priests who had come up with Zerubbabel. This Meremoth the son of Uriah may have been his grandson.

Nehemiah 3:4

‘And next to them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel.'

Meshullam was a very popular Jewish name. It appears that this Meshullam later gave his daughter to be wife of Jehohanan, the son of Tobiah, suggesting that, at least by that stage, he was favourably inclined towards Tobiah, who was an adversary of Nehemiah's and opposed to the building of the wall (Nehemiah 2:19). But however that may be, Meshullam here, along with his wider family, plays his full part in the building of the wall. His presence is, however, a reminder of the divisions which grew up among the descendants of the returnees as they continued to settle in the land (Nehemiah 6:17). He was not the only one to be so involved. Many of the aristocracy became friendly with Tobiah and were in constant communication with him (Nehemiah 6:17), reminding us that not all was straightforward for Nehemiah, even among the descendants of the returnees. But differences had to be set aside when the walls of Jerusalem had to be rebuilt.

Another Meshullam, son of Besodeia, helped to repair the gate of the old city (Nehemiah 3:6) whilst even another ‘Meshullam, the son of Berechiah', repaired a further part of the wall (Nehemiah 3:30). This latter might be seen as identifiable with the one here, but as there is no mention of him as building ‘a second portion' (contrast Nehemiah 3:11; Nehemiah 3:19; Nehemiah 3:24; Nehemiah 3:30), it may simply be a coincidence of names.

Nehemiah 3:4

‘And next to them repaired Zadok the son of Baana.'

The next section was repaired under the supervision of Zadok ben-Baana. This was probably the same Zadok who was also one of the signatories to the covenant made with Nehemiah by the princes, priests and Levites of Israel (Nehemiah 10:21), although the name was a admittedly very popular one. We do not know whether the Zadok mentioned in Nehemiah 13:13 is identical with him.