³⁷ At ^(A)the Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by ^(B)the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to ^(C)the Water Gate on the east.

^26 (A)and the temple servants living on ^(B)Ophel repaired to a point opposite ^(C)the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower.

¹⁴ Then I went on to ^(A)the Fountain Gate and to ^(B)the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal that was under me to pass.

¹⁶ So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each ^(A)on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at ^(B)the Water Gate and in the square at ^(C)the Gate of Ephraim.

^3 (A)And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Ezra Reads the Law

8 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before ^(A)the Water Gate. And they told ^(B)Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel.

¹⁵ And Shallum the son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired ^(A)the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and covered it and ^(B)set its doors, its bolts, and its bars. And he built the wall of ^(C)the Pool of Shelah of ^(D)the king's garden, as far as ^(E)the stairs that go down from the city of David. ¹⁶ After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district of Beth-zur, repaired to a point opposite ^(F)the tombs of David, as far as ^(G)the artificial pool, and as far as the house of the mighty men.

⁷ Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, ^(A)that is, the city of David. ⁸ And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind,’ who are hated by David's soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” ⁹ And David lived in the stronghold and called it ^(B)the city of David. And David built the city all around from the ^(C)Millo inward.