Nehemiah 12:39
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. 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.
The book is the work of Nehemiah, a governor appointed by the Lord and given the burden of restoring Jerusalem. The verse belongs to the account of a great thanksgiving day for the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem restored under Nehemiah's direction after the return from the Babylonian captivity. That restoration came through ups and downs, battles and conflicts, defeats and victories under the last reformation. Adversaries used every possible effort to hinder the work, Nehemiah refused to come down because he was doing a great work, and God carried the work to glorious success in spite of opposition.
The dedication march took place on top of the finished wall after the priests, the Levites, the people, the gates, and the wall itself had been purified. Two great processions of princes, priests, singers, and people went up on the wall at opposite points and marched on top until they joined at both ends into one continuous procession around the whole city. The verse marks the route of one of the processions along the wall, from above the Ephraim Gate past the Old Gate and the Fish Gate, by the Tower of Hananeel and the Tower of Meah to the Sheep Gate, ending with a stop at the Prison Gate.
The standing still in the Prison Gate was the whole united procession stopping together to give thanks with gladness, thanksgiving, and singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps. The singers sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah as overseer, and they offered great sacrifices that day. They rejoiced with wives and children because God had made them rejoice with great joy, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off. The description of walls and gates is valuable for establishing the topography of ancient Jerusalem.
That history is typical of God's work in other ages, especially in the last days, and it closes with a reform for the better observance of the Sabbath. In Scripture sacrifices and offerings are almost inseparably connected with thanksgiving, and material giving is the really practical feature of thanksgiving. The example of the people at Jerusalem is therefore an excellent basis for a Thanksgiving program.