2 Chronicles 27:3

He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) He built.—He it was that built (pronoun emphatic). He “built,” i.e., restored and beautified. The same statement occurs in 2Kings 15:35.

The high gate.—Rather, the upper gate; i.e., the northern gate of the inner or upper court (Ezekiel 9:2). The north being the holy quarter (Isaiah 14:13; Psalm 48:2), the north gate would be the principal entrance.

And on the wall of Ophel he built much.—The southern slope of the Temple hill was called the Ophel, i.e., “the mound.” Its wall would be the line of fortifications connecting Zion with Moriah, on which Uzziah had already laboured (2Chronicles 26:9), with the same object of securing the city against attacks from the south and east. Neither this detail nor the next three verses are found in the parallel account. The style and contents of the passage indicate a good ancient source.

Much.—Larōb, “to much;” one of the chronicler’s favourite words.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

27:1-9 Jotham's reign in Judah. - The people did corruptly. Perhaps Jotham was wanting towards the reformation of the land. Men may be very good, and yet not have courage and zeal to do what they might. It certainly casts blame upon the people. Jotham prospered, and became mighty. The more stedfast we are in religion, the more mighty we are, both to resist evil, and to do good. The Lord often removes wise and pious rulers, and sends others, whose follies and vices punish a people that valued not their mercies.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ophel was the name given to the long, narrowish, rounded spur or promontory, which intervenes between the central valley of Jerusalem (the Tyropoeon) and the Kidron, or valley of Jehoshaphat. The anxiety of Uzziah and Jotham to fortify their territory indicates a fear of external attack, which at this time was probably felt mainly in connection with Samaria and Syria (2 Kings 15:37 note). The faithless trust put in fortifications was rebuked by the prophets of the time Hosea 8:14; Isaiah 2:15.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3. He built the high gate of the house of the Lord—situated on the north—that portion of the temple hill which was high compared with the southern part—hence "the higher," or upper gate (see on [457]2Ki 15:35). He built, that is, repaired or embellished.

and on the wall of Ophel—Hebrew, "the Ophel," that is, the mound, or eminence on the southeastern slope of the temple mount, a ridge lying between the valleys Kedron and Tyropœon, called "the lower city" [Josephus]. He

built much—having the same desire as his father to secure the defense of Jerusalem in every direction.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

He built, i.e. repaired it; for it was built before, 2 Chronicles 11:5.

The high gate, otherwise called the new gate, Jeremiah 36:10.

The wall of Ophel; a tower upon or near the wall of Jerusalem, which probably he fortified, as his father had done other towers, 2 Chronicles 26:9.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He built the high gate in the house of the Lord,.... See the note on 2 Kings 15:35.

and on the wall of Ophel he built much; which Kimchi interprets an high place; it was the eastern part of Mount Zion. Josephus (f) calls it Ophlas, and says it joined to the eastern porch of the temple; and some have thought the porch of the temple is meant; the Targum renders it a palace; it is a tradition of the Jews that it was the holy of holies (g).

(f) De Bell. Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 2.((g) Vid. Hieron Trad. Heb. in lib. Paralipom. fol. 86. A. F. G.

Geneva Study Bible

He built the high {c} gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.

(c) Which was 60 cubits high and was for the height called Ophel: it was at the east gate and mention is made of it in 2Ch 3:4.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. the high gate] R.V. the upper gate; cp. 2 Chronicles 23:20.

Ophel] Cp. 2 Chronicles 33:14; Nehemiah 3:26-27. It was a southern spur of the Temple Hill. Bädeker, p. 21.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - The high gate. In the parallel, rendered in the Authorized Version the "higher" gate, the Hebrew (חָעֶלְיון) being the same in both places. The Revised Version shows "upper gate" in both places. It was probably the gate which led from the palace to the temple's outer court (see 2 Chronicles 23:20, and note there). On the wall of Ophel; Hebrew, הָעפֶל; i.e. the ophel, which may be Englished "the swelling ground." It was the extreme south end of the spur which gradually narrowed southward, and which was the continuation of the Bezetha hill, bounded by the brook Kedron on the east, and the Tyropceon on the west. This extreme south part called the Ophel sank into the bounding valleys to the Kedron precipitously and to the Tyropeon gradually. Pp. 328-335 of Condor's 'Handbook' (2nd edit.), and specially pp. 332-334, well repay a thorough study. A ditch was cut across the narrowest part of the ridge, which separated the temple hill itself from the Bezetha hill. In these parts fortifications were built, and no doubt to such it is our text calls attention. 2 Chronicles 27:3

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

He built the upper gate of the house of Jahve, i.e., the northern gate of the inner or upper court (see on 2 Kings 15:35); the only work of his reign which is mentioned in the book of Kings. But besides this, he continued the fortifying of Jerusalem, which his father had commenced; building much at the wall of the Ophel. העפל was the name of the southern slope of the temple mountain (see on 2 Chronicles 33:14); the wall of Ophel is consequently the wall connecting Zion with the temple mountain, at which Uzziah had already built (see on 2 Chronicles 26:9). He likewise carried on his father's buildings for the protection of the herds (2 Chronicles 26:10), building the cities in the mountains of Judah, and castles (בּירניּות, 2 Chronicles 17:12) and towers in the forests of the mountains of Judah (חרשׁים from חרשׁ, a thicket).