The Fish Gate, a gate in Jerusalem's wall, was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah during Nehemiah's time and was a location of judgment and trade.
The Fish Gate was one of the gates in the wall of Jerusalem, mentioned in the Old Testament in connection with the city's fortifications and rebuilding efforts. It is believed to have been located on the northern side of the city, possibly near the present-day Damascus Gate.
In Nehemiah 3:3, during the rebuilding of Jerusalem's wall after the Babylonian exile, the Fish Gate was repaired by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and set its doors, bolts, and bars in place. The Fish Gate is also mentioned in Nehemiah 12:39, where it is listed among the gates that the procession of dedication passed through during the celebration of the completed wall.
The name "Fish Gate" suggests that it may have been a location where fish were sold or where fishermen entered the city to sell their catch. It is possible that the gate was named after the nearby fish market or the road leading to the Mediterranean Sea, where fish were brought into the city.
In Zephaniah 1:10, the Fish Gate is mentioned in a prophecy of judgment against Jerusalem, where the Lord declares that a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, along with wailing from the Second Quarter and a loud crash from the hills. This passage indicates that the Fish Gate was a significant location within the city and that its destruction would be a sign of God's judgment.
The rebuilding of the Fish Gate during Nehemiah's time was part of the larger effort to restore Jerusalem and its walls after the Babylonian exile. The participation of the sons of Hassenaah in repairing this gate demonstrates the community's involvement in the rebuilding process and the importance of each section of the wall being restored by different families and groups.
Approximate location: 31.777, 35.235 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
FISH'-GATE, agate in Jerusalem. 2 Chr 33:14, etc. Dr. Barclay thinks it was near the "Fish-Pool." See Jerusalem.
FISH'-GATE, agate in Jerusalem. 2 Chr 33:14, etc. Dr. Barclay thinks it was near the "Fish-Pool." See Jerusalem.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
4 verses in 3 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H1709
After this, Manasseh rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David from west of Gihon in the valley to the entrance of the Fish Gate, and he brought it around the hill of Ophel and heightened it considerably. He also stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah.
The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars.
over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. And they stopped at the Gate of the Guard.
On that day,” declares the LORD, “a cry will go up from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second District, and a loud crashing from the hills.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.