Nehemiah 3:7

Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah In this arrangement of names it is natural to see the names of two leaders followed by the description of their respective followers. Melatiah is thus at the head of the Gibeonites, Jadon at the head of the men of Mizpah. But as the latter is called -the Meronothite" (see also 1 Chronicles 27:30), we conclude that Meronoth, his native place, must have been a village in the immediate neighbourhood of Mizpah.

The men of Gibeon are included in Nehemiah 7:25 among those who returned with Zerubbabel (see the parallel passage, Ezra 2:20).

Mizpah, about 3½ miles N. of Jerusalem, the modern Nebi-Samwil. Rulers of Mizpah are further on mentioned as concerned in the restoration of other portions of the wall (Nehemiah 3:15; Nehemiah 3:19). The men of Mizpah referred to in this verse may have been under different control (see next note).

unto the throne of the governor onthis side the river R.V. which appertained to the throne of the governor beyond the river.

This obscure clause has occasioned great difficulty. (a) According to the rendering of the A.V., it denotes the limit of the restoration undertaken by the men mentioned in this verse. -The throne of the governor, &c." will then be the official residence of the Persian satrap or the actual throne in which he sate dispensing justice. The preposition -unto" may be understood to mean, eitherthat the governor's house was built on the wall, and that the restoration mentioned in this verse reached this point; orthat the governor's -throne" was in the vicinity, and the restoration was carried on to a point over against it.

The chief objection to this rendering is the use of the word -throne." But it is more simple than the alternative rendering given below. And the supposition is very natural, that an official spot, close to the chief northern gate of the city (Nehemiah 3:6), should become a recognised landmark. The visit of the satrap of the country W. of the Euphrates to the provincial capitals would be a rare event; and the spot which symbolised his dignity would receive a distinctive name.

(b) According to the rendering of the R.V., the clause is added by way of limitation after the mention of Mizpah. Mizpah it is supposed was partly under Jewish rulers (Nehemiah 3:15; Nehemiah 3:19), partly under the rule of the Persian provincial governor. The boundary passed through the district of Mizpah. -The men of Mizpah," mentioned here, represented the portion under Persian rule, in which perhaps the village of Maronoth was included. By the indulgence of the Persian rulers (cf. Nehemiah 2:7) a contingent was permitted to render aid to their brethren.

The phrase -the throne of the governor beyond the river" will then be a technicalterm of authority in vogue among the Jews during the Persian supremacy. -Throne" in the sense of -rule" is poetical, cf. Psalms 89:29; Psalms 89:36.

There is nothing to be said in favour of another proposed rendering -in the name of the governor, &c." The Vulgate renders -pro duce," the LXX. ἕως θρόνου τοῦ ἄρχοντος.