Nehemiah 7:1 - Meaning and Application

God says about his church, “I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem” (Isaiah 62:6). Nehemiah showed that same care here. Dead walls, without living watchmen, are only a weak defense for a city.

He appointed the porters, singers, and Levites in their proper places and duties. This means their work in general, which was to serve in the temple. That work had been neglected to some extent, but now it was being restored. God’s worship protects a place, and his ministers are watchmen on the walls when they do their duty. Or, more specifically, Nehemiah ordered them to be ready for the wall’s dedication, so they could carry it out in an orderly and serious way. What is devoted to God is likely to do us good.

He also appointed two governors, or civil leaders, to care for the city and keep public peace and safety. One was Hanani, Nehemiah’s brother, the man who had brought him news of Jerusalem’s ruin. Hanani was a man of proven honesty and deep love for his country. The other was Hananiah, who had been ruler of the palace. This shows that the one who proves faithful in smaller things will be trusted with more. About Hananiah it is said that he was a faithful man and feared God more than many (Nehemiah 7:2).

There are some among those who truly fear God who fear him more deeply than others, and they show it in stronger ways. They deserve a double share of the honor due to those who fear the Lord (Psalm 15:4). Many in Jerusalem feared God, but this good man stood out for religion and serious godliness more than anyone else. Those who fear God must show it by being faithful to everyone and by living with steady conscience in all things. God’s Jerusalem is likely to prosper when those who rule it are people of virtue, godliness, and honesty.

Some think Nehemiah was about to return to the Persian court to have his commission renewed, and that he left these two worthy men in charge while he was away. Good rulers, when they cannot act personally, must be careful about whom they leave in their place.

Nehemiah also gave orders about shutting the gates and guarding the walls (Nehemiah 7:3-4). Jerusalem was still a large city in size, and the walls enclosed the same ground as before. But much of that ground was still empty, because the houses had not been rebuilt, at least not nearly as many as before. So Nehemiah built the wall in faith, looking ahead to God’s promise that the city would be filled again (Zechariah 8:3 and following). Though the people were few at the time, he believed they would increase. He made the wall large enough for them, for otherwise he might have thought a city with no walls to be as shameful as walls with no city.

Nehemiah told the city leaders to help make sure the gates were shut and barred every night. A wall was useless if they were careless with the gates. They were also to keep the gates from opening in the morning until they could see that all was safe and quiet. In addition, he set watchmen on the walls, or in other suitable places, at proper distances, so that if an enemy came near, they could warn the city in time. As each man took his turn watching, he was to stay near his own house, because he would likely be especially careful about that area. Public safety depends on each person’s own care to guard himself and his family against sin, which is the common enemy. It is in everyone’s interest to watch, but many people do not understand their own good, so rulers must appoint watches.

And just as this people had recently found that God was with them in the building, for otherwise they would have built in vain, so now that the wall was finished, they were no doubt reminded that unless the Lord keeps the city, the watchman stays awake in vain (Psalm 127:1).