Neh 3:26 | KingComments | STEP | The temple servants In between all the activity a remark is made about the temple servants. They live on the Ophel, a height just before the Water Gate on the south side of the temple. Temple servants, also called Nethinim, are always mentioned in plural. They are connected to the service in the temple. Their tasks lie on the terrain of all kinds of simple work. Most likely, they are descendants of the Gibeonites, who joined the people of God by deceit ( ). Joshua curses them for this and determines that they will never cease to “being slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God” ( ). In connection with the name Pedaiah, we see how the LORD has delivered them from the curse. They have conformed to the judgment of Joshua and therefore the curse has become a blessing for them. The wall also serves to protect and preserve them for the service that has been imposed upon them. The Water Gate The Water Gate, the seventh gate mentioned in this chapter, is not part of the wall, but, like the Ophel, lies within the wall. It does not say that the Water Gate is being restored. However, it does say that the gate is on “the east” of the wall and close to “the projecting tower”. At the Fountain Gate ( ) we have already seen that the water speaks of the Word of God ( ). There the water is in action, a well which springs up. That is the Word which does its work and works ( ). Here the water also represents the Word of God, but more in its immutability. This is a clear application of the fact that the Water Gate does not need to be restored. Nothing needs to be improved on the Word. It remains eternally in all its perfection ( ; ; ). This gives hope for the future, of which the east side speaks. The east side is the side where the sun rises. When the Lord Jesus appears as “the Sun of righteousness” ( ), He will fulfill everything God has promised in His Word. It is as if “the projecting tower” emphasizes that. The watchman in that tower looks eastward to be the first to see the Sun of righteousness rise.

‏ Nehemiah 3:26

The Temple Servants – the Water Gate

The temple servants

In between all the activity a remark is made about the temple servants. They live on the Ophel, a height just before the Water Gate on the south side of the temple. Temple servants, also called Nethinim, are always mentioned in plural. They are connected to the service in the temple. Their tasks lie on the terrain of all kinds of simple work. Most likely, they are descendants of the Gibeonites, who joined the people of God by deceit (Jn 9:3-15). Joshua curses them for this and determines that they will never cease to “being slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God” (Jos 9:23).

In connection with the name Pedaiah, we see how the LORD has delivered them from the curse. They have conformed to the judgment of Joshua and therefore the curse has become a blessing for them. The wall also serves to protect and preserve them for the service that has been imposed upon them.

The Water Gate

The Water Gate, the seventh gate mentioned in this chapter, is not part of the wall, but, like the Ophel, lies within the wall. It does not say that the Water Gate is being restored. However, it does say that the gate is on “the east” of the wall and close to “the projecting tower”.

At the Fountain Gate (Neh 3:15) we have already seen that the water speaks of the Word of God (Eph 5:26). There the water is in action, a well which springs up. That is the Word which does its work and works (1Thes 2:13). Here the water also represents the Word of God, but more in its immutability. This is a clear application of the fact that the Water Gate does not need to be restored. Nothing needs to be improved on the Word. It remains eternally in all its perfection (Psa 119:89; Jn 1:1; Rev 19:13).

This gives hope for the future, of which the east side speaks. The east side is the side where the sun rises. When the Lord Jesus appears as “the Sun of righteousness” (Mal 4:2), He will fulfill everything God has promised in His Word. It is as if “the projecting tower” emphasizes that. The watchman in that tower looks eastward to be the first to see the Sun of righteousness rise.