Nehemiah 3:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Douay-RheimsHebrew (Masoretic text)

And the gate of the fountain, Sellum, the son of Cholhoza, built, lord of the street of Maspha: he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks, and the bars, and the walls of the pool of Siloe unto the king's guard, and unto the steps that go down from the city of David.
Douay-Rheims

וְאֵת֩ שַׁ֨עַר הָעַ֜יִן הֶ֠חֱזִיק שַׁלּ֣וּן בֶּן־כָּל־חֹזֶה֮ שַׂ֣ר פֶּ֣לֶךְ הַמִּצְפָּה֒ ה֤וּא יִבְנֶ֙נּוּ֙ וִיטַֽלְלֶ֔נּוּ ויעמידו וְיַעֲמִיד֙ דַּלְתֹתָ֔יו מַנְעֻלָ֖יו וּבְרִיחָ֑יו וְ֠אֵת חוֹמַ֞ת בְּרֵכַ֤ת הַשֶּׁ֙לַח֙ לְגַן־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְעַד־הַֽמַּעֲל֔וֹת הַיּוֹרְד֖וֹת מֵעִ֥יר דָּוִֽיד׃
Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Beda Venerabilis

7th centuryChurch Father

The fountain of Siloam, translating to ‘sent’, illustrates the Savior, sent by God the Father to bring illumination to humanity, as seen in the healing of the man born blind. This Source is rightly recognized as stemming from the Father from whom the Son was generated, resonating with the Psalmist's declaration: “Thou hast the fountain of life; in Thy light we see light” (Psalm 36:9). The establishment of the gates of this Source in Jerusalem represents the appointing of teachers within the Church tasked with proclaiming faith in the eternal God to all nations. The walls at the entrance of the Fountain are reinforced when the profound and unassailable testimonies of Scripture, which unveil the mystery of the Lord's incarnation, are deeply ingrained in the hearts of the faithful. Furthermore, these divine proclamations extend to the royal garden as we, after receiving the precepts of the Lord's household, begin to cultivate the buds of virtues with the assistance of our King, the Lord God.

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.