Fish Gate

About Fish Gate

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.

Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.