Nehemiah 3:12

And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(12) He and his daughters.—Shallum was governor of the second half-district around Jerusalem; and it has been thought that the “daughters” here are the villages of the district. But needlessly: the women of Jerusalem might do voluntarily what as females they were not pressed to do.

Benson Commentary

Nehemiah 3:12. Shallum, the ruler of the half part, &c. — That is, of the other half of Jerusalem: see on Nehemiah 3:9. He and his daughters — Who were either heiresses or rich widows, and caused part to be done at their charges.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:1-32 The rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. - The work was divided, so that every one might know what he had to do, and mind it, with a desire to excel; yet without contention, or separate interests. No strife appears among them, but which should do most for the public good. Every Israelite should lend a hand toward the building up of Jerusalem. Let not nobles think any thing below them, by which they may advance the good of their country. Even some females helped forward the work. Some repaired over against their houses, and one repaired over against his chamber. When a general good work is to be done, each should apply himself to that part which is within his reach. If every one will sweep before his own door, the street will be clean; if every one will mend one, we shall all be mended. Some that had first done helped their fellows. The walls of Jerusalem, in heaps of rubbish, represent the desperate state of the world around, while the number and malice of those who hindered the building, give some faint idea of the enemies we have to contend with, while executing the work of God. Every one must begin at home; for it is by getting the work of God advanced in our own souls that we shall best contribute to the good of the church of Christ. May the Lord thus stir up the hearts of his people, to lay aside their petty disputes, and to disregard their worldly interests, compared with building the walls of Jerusalem, and defending the cause of truth and godliness against the assaults of avowed enemies.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The other piece - Rather, "another piece" (as in Nehemiah 3:19, Nehemiah 3:21, Nehemiah 3:27, Nehemiah 3:30). It is conjectured that a verse has fallen out in which Malchijah's and Hashub's "first piece" was mentioned.

The tower of the furnaces - Either a tower at the northwestern angle of the city; or, midway in the western wall. The origin of the name is uncertain.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

12. Shallum … he and his daughters—who were either heiresses or rich widows. They undertook to defray the expenses of a part of the wall next them.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Of the half part of Jerusalem, i.e. of the other half, &c.: See Poole "Nehemiah 3:9".

He and his daughters; who were either heiresses, or rich widows, and caused part to be done at their charges.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And next unto him repaired Shallum, the son of Hallohesh,.... So called, as Ben Melech says, from his being an enchanter of serpents, or a wise prudent counsellor:

the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem; of the other half; see Nehemiah 3:9

he and his daughters; who were rich widows or heiresses, and employed men to build at their own expense; he seems to have had no sons.

Geneva Study Bible

And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12. the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem] R.V. the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem. See note on Nehemiah 3:9. This was the ‘Zion’ half of the city.

he and his daughters] The mention of ‘his daughters’ is strange. Some consider that the word ‘daughters’ is here used in its technical sense of ‘villages’ and ‘country towns’ (cf. Nehemiah 11:25; Nehemiah 11:27), the inhabitants of which placed workers under the command of the ruler of the whole district. Others again accepting this rendering of ‘daughters’ = ‘villages,’ refer the pronoun ‘he’ to ‘the district,’ i.e. ‘the district and the villages adjacent to that quarter of Jerusalem.’

But the most simple and literal explanation is probably the best. The whole chronicle of the restoration of the walls is a register of personal effort. The exceptional mention of women does not justify us in excluding the possibility of their useful cooperation, not only by sympathy and exhortation, but also by gifts of money, by contributions of food, and by the labour of their servants and retainers.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - He and his daughters. It seems to be almost impossible that women were pressed into the service, especially when it was one of so much danger (Nehemiah 4:13-21). By "daughters" we must therefore understand the villages contained in Shallum's district, which is agreeable to the use of the term in Nehemiah 11:25, 27, 28. Nehemiah 3:12

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Next repaired Shallum, ruler of the other (comp. Nehemiah 3:9) half district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters. הוּא can only refer to Shallum, not to הוּא, which would make the daughters signify the daughters of the district, of the villages and places in the district.