The exact location of the gates is not known, as no extensive excavation has been done, nor is it possible. Further, the position of the current walls does not match the position of the walls in Nehemiah’s time. Indeed it is not surprising to find that in the intervening two and a half centuries the walls have moved many times. A handful of the gates have been positively identified, for the rest, even the archaeologists turn to Nehemiah to work out the positions. Even then there are arguments over the extent of the walls, and whether or not to on include the western hill of Jerusalem.
As I set to studying in preparation for a series on the gates of Nehemiah I hit the first problem. Where are they? I eventually came up with this map. I have edited it, but the original was published in Jerusalem, the saga of the Holy City By Dr. H.M.Z. Meyer (1945)
The order and reality of the gates is important to us, but not the definitive geography of Jerusalem. It is far more important to understand why God gave us the words of Nehemiah chapter 3, and what application these words have in our lives.
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