Nehemiah 3:31

Malchiah the goldsmith's son R.V. Malchijah one of the goldsmiths. See note on Nehemiah 3:8. Malchiah belonged to the guild of the goldsmiths.

unto the place of the Nethinims R.V. unto the house of the Nethinim. The Nethinim were stated (Nehemiah 3:26) to have their dwelling -in Ophel." Here a house belonging to their number is described as on the wall, probably N.E. of the Temple precincts. This we may presume was the official residence of those engaged in the service of the Temple.

andof the merchants LXX. οἱ ῥωποπῶλαι. The tradesmen of the same class generally lived near to one another, cf. Jeremiah 37:21.

It is at first sight strange to find a house belonging to a mixed body of Nethinim and merchants. But the needs and equipment of the Temple services and of those who took part in them were sufficiently varied to account for this combination. We should think of an Oriental bazaar rather than of a modern house. The open spaces near the Temple would be thronged with money-changers and sellers of animals for sacrifice and of articles for offerings. On the later abuse of this custom cf. Matthew 21:12; John 2:14. Some who have found a difficulty in this combination disregard the tradition of the accents, and divide the verse differently, stopping at -Nethinim," and making a new clause of which -the merchants" are the subject, i.e. -and the merchants repaired, &c." We should however certainly expect the phrase -after him" at the beginning of such a clause.

over against the gate Miphkad R.V. over against the gate of Hammiphkad. The word -Miphkad" occurs in Ezekiel 43:21, -Thou shalt also take the bullock of the sin offering, and he shall burn it in the appointed place (miphkad) of the house, without the sanctuary." It has hence been often supposed to be the gate through which the bullock of the sin offering was led -without the sanctuary."

The words -over against" seem to imply that the gate of Hammiphkad was not on but opposite the city wall. Some identify it with the modern -golden gate."

The LXX. Μαφεκάδ and the Vulg. -porta judicialis" fail to throw light upon its position or purpose.

and to the going up of the corner R.V. and to the ascent (marg. -Or, upper chamber") of the corner. We seem here to have the junction point of two walls, where the elevation was greater than elsewhere, or where there was a well-known -upper chamber" used for look-out purposes or as a place of public gathering.