The Water Gate
The Water Gate was one of the principal gates on the east side of Jerusalem. Water Gate was in the vicinity of the Gihon Spring which was an important source of water for Jerusalem. The Water Gate was across the ridge from the Valley Gate and opened to the east, leading to the Gihon Spring and the Kidron Valley. (Nehemiah 3:26). The wall of Ophel. The wall of Ophel extended from the Ophel to the southwest along the Kidron Valley to the Water Gate. (Nehemia 3:27).
In earlier times this portion of the wall had been positioned partway down the slope, but Nehemiah repositioned it at the crest of the slope. Portions of this wall have been found in the excavations in the City of David. (Matthews. 2000).
Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over against the Water Gate toward the East, and the tower that goes out. (Nehemiah 3:26). Nethinims were temple slave assigned to the Levites and priests for service in the sanctuary. (Strong.2001.#05411).
The Water Gate was rebuilt during Nehemiah’s day and served as the location for Ezra’s reading of the Law. “And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law.” (Nehemiah 8:1-3). All that is known about the Water Gate is that it was located on the East side ofJerusalem. There is general agreement that the Water Gate was in some proximity to the Gihon spring, serving either as a city access to the spring, a palace gate or an access for water for temple use. (Suiter.1992. pg. 882-883).
And Moses commanded them, saying: “At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 31:10–12).
“So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.” (Nehemiah 8:16). “And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall, above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.” (Nehemiah 12:37).
Reference:
Matthews, Victor Harold; Matthews, Mark W. Chavalas and Walton, John H. (2000). The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament, electronic ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Suiter, David E. (1992). “Water Gate (Place)”. vol. 6, The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, ed. David Noel Freedman. New York: Doubleday. 882-83.
Strong, James. (2001).The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “The Water Gate:.” Becker Bible Studies Library May 2015.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2869,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, May) “The Water Gate:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2869,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “The Water Gate:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (May), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2869, (accessed).
