2 Chronicles 27:3

2Ch 27:3 He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.

Ver. 3. He built the high gate.] See 2Ki 15:35.

And on the wall of Ophel.] This was, saith Adrichomius, a tower of exceeding great height, quasi nube caput inserens, seeming to reach to the very clouds; it was also a strong fort near unto the temple; the habitation of the Nethinims. {Neh 3:26; Neh 11:21} It was burnt by Titus’ soldiers. See 2Ch 36:19.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch_27:3

And on the wall of Ophel he built much.

Building on Ophel

Ophel means the mount. Where was the mount? On the southern slope. Why did the king build so much on Ophel? Because it was most accessible to the enemy. Like a wise commander he remembered that no man is stronger than his weakest point, and that no fortification is stronger than its frailest part; so the king built much where the wall was weakest, or where the access of the enemy was most open; and in doing so he gathered up and represented the wisdom and experience of the ages, and anticipated what we and all the sons of time ought to do. What is your weakest point in life? Build much there. (J. Parker, D.D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27:3-4 Jotham’s rebuilding endeavors were like those of his father; he continued the work of restoration begun by Uzziah. He also constructed fortresses and towers in the forests, providing a network of lookouts and highway defenses within the kingdom and on the frontier.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Which was sixscore cubits high, and was for the height called Ophel: it was at the East gate, and mention is made of it, 2 Chron. 3:4.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

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 Kg2 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.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 3. On the wall of Ophel] The wall, says the Targum, of the interior palace. Ophel was some part of the wall of Jerusalem, that was most pregnable, and therefore Jotham fortified it in a particular manner.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(3) He built.—He it was that built (pronoun emphatic). He “built,” i.e., restored and beautified. The same statement occurs in 2Ki_15:35.

The high gate.—Rather, the upper gate; i.e., the northern gate of the inner or upper court (Eze_9:2). The north being the holy quarter (Isa_14:13; Psa_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 (2Ch_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.—Larôb, “to much;” one of the chronicler’s favourite words.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. the high gate] R.V. the upper gate; cp. 2Ch_23:20.

Ophel] Cp. 2Ch_33:14; Neh_3:26-27. It was a southern spur of the Temple Hill. Bädeker, p. 21.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Moreover, he built cities in the mountains of Judah,.... In the mountainous part of it, the hill country of Judea, Luk 1:65,

and in the forests he built castles and towers; for the safety of travellers, and of shepherds and their flocks, see Ch2 26:10.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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 (2Ki 15:37 note). The faithless trust put in fortifications was rebuked by the prophets of the time Hos 8:14; Isa 2:15.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Gate, on the east, repairing (T.) and beautifying it so, (H.) that Jeremias (xxvi. 10,) calls it New. T. --- Ophel, on the walls of the city, (C.) towards the eastern porch of the temple. Josephus) S. Jerom in Isaias xxxii. 14. --- Here the Nathineans dwelt, 2 Esdras iii. 26. C. --- Kimchi, &c. translate, "a citadel." T.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

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

The high gate, otherwise called the new gate, Jer 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, 2Ch 26:9.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The high gate. In the parallel, rendered in the Authorized Version the "higher" gate, the Hebrew (wOylj) 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. (2Ch_23:20, and note there) On the wall of Ophel; Hebrew, lph 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.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Built - Repaired it: for it was built before, chap. xi, 5.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

He built the upper gate ... he built much ... he built cities ... he built castles and towers

Since Jotham was king, he may have had his workers build these things. AT: "He had his workers build the upper gate ... he had his workers build many things ... he had his workers build cities ... he had his workers build castles and towers" (See: Metonymy)

the hill of Ophel

This is a hill in Jerusalem. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

gate

Judah

watchtower

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

and in the wall of the rampart - Heb. עֹפֶל, similar to (Isa. 32:14): “rampart and tower (עפֶל וָבַחַן).” He built strongholds.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.