^37 (A)By the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went up ^(B)the stairs of the ^(C)City of David, on the stairway of the wall, beyond the house of David, as far as ^(D)the Water Gate eastward.

²⁶ Moreover ^(A)the Nethinim who dwelt in ^(B)Ophel made repairs as far as the place in front of ^(C)the Water Gate toward the east, and on the projecting tower.

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

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

³ Then he ^(A)read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate ^[a]from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Ezra Reads and Explains the Law

8 Now all ^(A)the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was ^(B)in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the ^(C)scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel.

¹⁵ Shallun the son of Col-Hozeh, leader of the district of Mizpah, repaired ^(A)the Fountain Gate; he built it, covered it, hung its doors with its bolts and bars, and repaired the wall of the Pool of ^(B)Shelah^[a] by the ^(C)King’s Garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David. ¹⁶ After him Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, leader of half the district of Beth Zur, made repairs as far as the place in front of the ^[b]tombs of David, to the ^(D)man-made pool, and as far as the House of the Mighty.

⁷ Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion ^(A)(that is, the City of David).

⁸ Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), ^(B)he shall be chief and captain.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”

⁹ Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it ^(C)the City of David. And David built all around from ^[a]the Millo and inward.