³⁷ At the Fountain Gate^(A) they continued directly up the steps of the City of David on the ascent to the wall and passed above the site of David’s palace to the Water Gate^(B) on the east.

²⁶ and the temple servants^(A) living on the hill of Ophel^(B) made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate^(C) toward the east and the projecting tower.

¹⁴ Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate^(A) and the King’s Pool,^(B) but there was not enough room for my mount to get through;

¹⁶ So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate^(A) and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.^(B)

³ He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate^(A) in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

8 ¹ all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate.^(A) They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,^(B) which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

¹⁵ The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam,^[a](A) by the King’s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. ¹⁶ Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur,^(B) made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs^[b](C) of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.

⁷ Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion^(A)—which is the City of David.^(B)

⁸ On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft^(C) to reach those ‘lame and blind’^(D) who are David’s enemies.^[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

⁹ David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces^[b](E) inward.