The Meaning of Nehemiah 12:39 Explained

Nehemiah 12:39

KJV: And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate.

YLT: and from beyond the gate of Ephraim, and by the old-gate, and by the fish-gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, and unto the sheep-gate -- and they have stood at the prison-gate.

Darby: and from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the gate of the old wall, and above the fish-gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even to the sheep-gate; and they stood still in the prison-gate.

ASV: and above the gate of Ephraim, and by the old gate, and by the fish gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the gate of the guard.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And from above the gate  of Ephraim,  and above the old  gate,  and above the fish  gate,  and the tower  of Hananeel,  and the tower  of Meah,  even unto the sheep  gate:  and they stood still  in the prison  gate. 

What does Nehemiah 12:39 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 12

1  The priests and the Levites which came up with Zerubbabel
10  The succession of high priests
22  Certain chief Levites
27  The solemnity of the dedication of the walls
44  The offices of priests and Levites appointed in the temple

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 12:39 mean?

And above the Gate of Ephraim and above Gate the Old Gate the Fish and the Tower of Hananel of the Hundred and as far as Gate the Sheep and they stopped by the Gate of the Prison
וּמֵעַ֣ל לְשַֽׁעַר־ אֶ֠פְרַיִם וְעַל־ שַׁ֨עַר הַיְשָׁנָ֜ה שַׁ֣עַר הַדָּגִ֗ים וּמִגְדַּ֤ל חֲנַנְאֵל֙ הַמֵּאָ֔ה וְעַ֖ד שַׁ֣עַר הַצֹּ֑אן‪‬‪‬ וְעָ֣מְד֔וּ בְּשַׁ֖עַר הַמַּטָּרָֽה

לְשַֽׁעַר־  above  the  Gate 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
אֶ֠פְרַיִם  of  Ephraim 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶפְרַיִם  
Sense: second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over first son, Manasseh.
וְעַל־  and  above 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
שַׁ֨עַר  Gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
הַיְשָׁנָ֜ה  the  Old 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: יְשָׁנָה  
Sense: a town of the southern border of the northern kingdom near Bethel.
שַׁ֣עַר  Gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
הַדָּגִ֗ים  the  Fish 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּאג 
Sense: fish.
וּמִגְדַּ֤ל  and  the  Tower 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִגְדָּל  
Sense: tower.
חֲנַנְאֵל֙  of  Hananel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲנַנְאֵל  
Sense: the name of a tower in Jerusalem.
הַמֵּאָ֔ה  of  the  Hundred 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֵאָה  
Sense: a tower on the north rampart of Jerusalem in the wall of Nehemiah.
וְעַ֖ד  and  as  far  as 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
שַׁ֣עַר  Gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
הַצֹּ֑אן‪‬‪‬  the  Sheep 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
וְעָ֣מְד֔וּ  and  they  stopped 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
בְּשַׁ֖עַר  by  the  Gate 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
הַמַּטָּרָֽה  of  the  Prison 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַטָּרָה  
Sense: guard, ward, prison, mark, target.