The significance of the names of the builders in Nehemiah 3

Abstract

The composition of the list of builders and its incorporation into Nehemiah's autobiography has captivated the attention of many modern-day intellectuals. Scholars concede that the list does not form part of the Nehemiah Memoirs. It is an original record, contemporary to Nehemiah, constructed under priestly authority but most likely inserted by a later editor. Only a portion of the builder's names were recorded with specificity (on occasion up to the third generation); others were referred to in general, either by their settlement or craft. One of several factors that makes the list thought-provoking is that some of the names recorded in Nehemiah 3, reappear in other parts of the book as being amongst his 'adversaries.' The question then presents itself as to whether the author sought merely to honour these individuals (which included his adversaries) or whether he formulated the text in such a way as to draw the audience's attention to the theological meaning hidden beneath its surface. To address this question, the study approached the text from an alternative perspective that was aimed at unveiling possible theological nuances hidden within the meaning of the names of the builders, and the social memory that specific settlements and guilds may have triggered. Insights were drawn from a variety of approaches and exegetical methods that included predominantly synchronic, and partially diachronic elements. In addition to a literary and historical analysis, lexical and onomastic resources, as well as dictionaries and encyclopedias, were consulted for the examination of the proper names, settlements, and crafts described by Nehemiah. The findings were then analyzed to determine whether they resonated with the implicit meaning of detectable theological traditions in Yehud during the Persian period. On the surface, the list appears purely descriptive. However, when the meaning of the selected elements is studied in unison, a theme emerges that is imbued with some of the core concepts found in traditions such as the Sinai covenant and Priestly theology. The research demonstrates that the builders, settlements, and crafts appear to be theologically significant.