Nehemiah 7:3

I said unto them The reading of the C'thib, -He said," is clearly wrong. The K'ri is supported by the LXX. and Vulg. -Them," Hanani and Hananiah.

until the sun be hot Vulg. -Usque ad calorem solis," i.e. until the sun was high in the heavens; cf. 1 Samuel 11:9, -By the time the sun is hot." The customary practice was to open the gates at sunrise. By this regulation the enemy would be effectually prevented from obtaining any advantage by an entry into the city before the inhabitants were stirring. The LXX. (ἔως ἄμα τῷ ἡλίῳ) did not understand the sentence. Rashi also explains -until mid-day," erroneously. The shutting of the gates was a sign of suspicion: cf. the opposite description of security in Isaiah 60:11.

stand by R.V. stand on guard. The meaning apparently is that the gates were to be shut while the regular watch was still on guard. The A.V. -stand by" refers to Hanani and Hananiah, as if the gates were always to be shut in the presence of the governors. But it would have been an impossibility for the two officers to have been present at the fastening of each gate. The emphasis rests on the word -while." The guard of Levites are to be at their post, while the doors were being secured.

shut … bar LXX. κλείσθωσαν … σφηνούσθωσαν, Vulg. -clausæ … oppilatæ." The versions give the general sense. The word rendered -shut" occurs only here in the O.T. in the mood employed in this verse. The word rendered -bar" means literally -to seize." Hence Rashi explains, -let them take hold of the doors in order to shut them;" and other interpretations have been -take hold in order to see whether they were fastened," and -take hold of the keys." But the marginal rendering of the R.V. 1 Kings 6:10, -he fastened the house," will illustrate its usage in the present verse.

appoint watches&c. It does not appear whether Hanani and Hananiah are the subject or the Levite guards. The verb in the original is in the Infin. Abs. (cf. Nehemiah 6:9) and expresses the command in general terms (LXX. στῆσον, Vulg. -posui"). The citizens themselves were to be organised for the defence of the place. Every man was to belong to a particular guardhouse, and take his turn in sentinel duty; and every man also was to be responsible for the protection of his own dwelling.