Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.
Next to him, Uzziel (son of Harhaiah), who was a goldsmith, worked on repairs. Next to Uzziel, Hananiah (son of a perfume maker) also worked on repairs, and together they strengthened Jerusalem all the way to the wide wall.
The writer is showing how skilled craftsmen like goldsmiths and perfume makers joined together to rebuild and strengthen Jerusalem's walls.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is part of Nehemiah's detailed record of rebuilding Jerusalem's walls around 445 BC, after the Jewish people returned from exile in Babylon. The mention of specific trades like goldsmiths and apothecaries (perfume/medicine makers) shows that people from all walks of life participated in this crucial reconstruction project. The 'broad wall' was likely a particularly wide section of the wall that required extra fortification.
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