And they built the Sheep Gate: The Sheep Gate was situated at the center of the eastern wall. From there, they built northward, then from north to west, and from the west they turned eastward along the southern side, until they once again reached the Sheep Gate. The Tower of Hananel was north of the Sheep Gate; farther north stood the Tower of the Hundred, followed by the Fish Gate. The account begins with the Sheep Gate, at the center of the eastern wall, because it stood directly opposite the Temple. This is evident from chapter 12, where the two thanksgiving processions that departed from the Valley Gate, at the center of the western wall, met one another there and proceeded from there to the Temple. Thus it says, “They consecrated it,” because it stood opposite the Temple.

And next to him they built: They built the section between the Tower of Hananel and the Fish Gate.

And the Fish Gate: It appears that wherever the term “built” is used, the wall had already collapsed and had to be rebuilt entirely. Wherever the term “repaired” is used, however, it was necessary only to reinforce the old wall and seal its breaches.

But their nobles: This may be explained in light of verse 7, which says that the people of Gibeon and Mizpah were under the authority of the governor of the province Beyond the River because they had lived in Judah from earlier times, as explained there. Accordingly, the Tekoites likewise had not returned in the days of Cyrus but had already been living there, and were therefore under the authority of that governor. Nevertheless, their nobles did not submit their necks to the work of their masters, because they were powerful men and enjoyed independence. Alternatively, the Tekoites had a leader who ruled over them, and he and his men built this section; but among them was a group of nobles who refused to obey the command of their lord, the leader. They therefore separated from the others and built independently, as stated in verse 27: “After him, the Tekoites repaired a second section.”

And the Old Gate: It was situated at the northeastern corner. In my opinion, this gate was also called the Corner Gate, where Uzziah built towers (II Chronicles 26), as we shall explain in verse 8.

Under the seat of the governor of the province Beyond the River: This accords with what was explained in verse 5. Those who had returned with Zerubbabel or Ezra had Zerubbabel—and afterward Nehemiah—as their governor. Those who had already been living in Judah, however, remained subject to the former governor of the province Beyond the River, who already exercised authority over them. The people of Jericho (verse 2) and the sons of Hassenaah (verse 3) had returned in the days of Ezra, but the people of Gibeon and Mizpah were not listed among those who returned (Ezra 2). They therefore belonged under the jurisdiction and authority of the governor of the province Beyond the River and acted with his permission. The same applies to the Tekoites, as explained in verse 5.

And they fortified Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall: From what is stated below (12:38–39), the Ephraim Gate—which is not mentioned here—stood between the Broad Wall and the Old Gate. This is the section that Joash breached, extending four hundred cubits from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate (II Chronicles 25). The Corner Gate was the Old Gate, situated at the northeastern corner. We must therefore say that the Ephraim Gate had not been so severely destroyed; consequently, its rebuilding is not mentioned separately but is included with the wall as a whole. The expression “and they fortified” means that they strengthened and reinforced it. On the northern side, Jerusalem was not surrounded by mountains but by level ground, so they had to strengthen that area more extensively, as far as the Broad Wall, where the wall served as protection against the enemy.

And opposite his house: He also repaired the entire section of the wall facing his house, in addition to the section beside Rephaiah that he repaired beyond his house, toward the east.

A second section: Because there were no gates or towers on that side, they divided the length of the wall into two sections. They repaired the second section as far as the Tower of the Ovens, which stood at the western corner.

And next to him: From this point, the text enumerates the western side from north to south. Shallum repaired the section from the Tower of the Ovens to the Valley Gate. Hallohesh: The letter heh is part of the name’s root, as I have explained several times.

The Valley Gate … they built it: Merely repairing and strengthening it was insufficient, as explained above; it had to be rebuilt. From there, they repaired a section extending one thousand cubits to the Dung Gate.

And the Dung Gate and the Fountain Gate: The wall extending from the Valley Gate continued to the Dung Gate, and from there to the Fountain Gate. Close to it, toward the east and within the wall, were the waters of Shiloah, also called the King’s Pool (above, 2:14), where the king’s gardens were located. It is known that the Fortress of Zion, the City of David, Solomon’s palace, the Millo, and the House of Millo stood on the eastern slope of Mount Zion. From there, steps descended by way of the Valley of Ben-Hinnom and the city wall toward the king’s gardens and the pool. The City of David was west of the Valley of Ben-Hinnom, within the wall of Mount Zion, while the garden and the pool were within the city wall. A bridge was built across the two walls, enabling passage from one to the other. This is the meaning of “and the wall of the Pool of Shiloah by the King’s Garden, as far as the stairs descending” from the City of David.

After him: This wall, which was doubled—and was therefore called “the two walls”—continued southward opposite the tombs of the House of David, which were on the heights of Mount Zion. There in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom was also a reservoir later constructed to collect the water, as stated: “You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the Old Pool.” Thus the verse says, “as far as opposite the tombs of David, and as far as the constructed pool”—that is, the pool constructed afterward—“and as far as the House of the Mighty Men,” where the warriors would assemble. South of it, at the southwestern corner, was the armory. This is the meaning of verse 19: “opposite the ascent to the armory at the corner,” meaning that the weapons were brought up there. I have already explained above the expression “a second section.” It may also mean that wherever the text says “a second section,” the builder undertook two measured portions: they measured and estimated how much each person would accept responsibility for, and that builder accepted two such portions. All the other occurrences may be interpreted in the same way.

Harhaiah: This is the name of a person. The word “repaired” in the preceding verse and the word “after him” each apply to two clauses: “After him, Harhaiah [repaired]”; “[after him], Baruch repaired.” From the corner: The account now begins to describe the southern side, proceeding from west to east.

Meremoth: He was already mentioned in verse 4. The text therefore says “a second section,” because he built two sections.

Binnui son of Henadad—a second section: He had repaired the first section together with his kinsmen, as stated in verses 17–18: “Rehum son of Bani” and “Hashabiah, their kinsman,” who were descendants of Henadad. As far as the corner and as far as the turret: This was the southeastern corner. There was also a pinnah there, a type of tower, as in “against the fortified cities and against the high turrets” (Zephaniah 1), and “to be upon the towers and upon the turrets” (II Chronicles 26:15).

Opposite the corner: The king’s palace stood opposite it, toward the east, and from there extended the tower projecting from the king’s palace, which belonged to the court of the guard, itself located beside the king’s palace. This is not the Guard Gate mentioned below (12:39), which was near the Temple. The word “repaired” in the preceding verse applies to four clauses: “Palal son of Uzai [repaired]”; “after him, Pedaiah son of Parosh [repaired].” And the Temple servants—who lived on the Ophel—repaired as far as opposite the Water Gate. The Temple servants repaired the tower projecting from the king’s palace and, from there, the section as far as the Water Gate, which stood on the eastern side; for the text now enumerates the eastern wall from south to north. Yoma 69a indicates that the Water Gate stood opposite the Temple.

The Tekoites—a second section: As explained above in verse 5. As far as the wall of the Ophel: The Ophel was a separate fortress, situated at some distance from the great tower projecting from the king’s palace. It appears that they built there along the wall, between the tower and the Ophel connected opposite it. The Temple servants built the city wall as far as the Water Gate, together with the projecting tower itself. The Tekoites built the wall from opposite the tower as far as the wall of the Ophel. The Horse Gate was located there and likewise stood opposite the king’s palace, as mentioned in II Kings 11:16, for a road led from the Horse Gate to the king’s palace.

The keeper of the East Gate of the Temple courtyard; this was the Inspection Gate mentioned in verse 31.

The sixth: He was Zalaph’s sixth son. A second: The masculine form sheni has the same meaning as the feminine shenit, “a second section.” His chamber: That is, his room, for it stood opposite the Temple courtyard. Likewise, the Inspection Gate was the eastern gate of the Temple, as stated in tractate Middot.

And as far as the upper chamber at the corner: There was a fortified position there to which people ascended, because it stood on elevated ground. After it came the Sheep Gate, from which they had begun rebuilding.

And it displeased him: The expression ḥarah lo means that something was evil in his eyes, as in “and Cain was greatly displeased.” Thus the Sages explained, “David was displeased”—his face changed and became like a scorched cake. Anger arises when this displeasure is outwardly expressed, and afterward comes mockery.

Will they fortify it for themselves? The expression denotes strengthening, as in “and they fortified Jerusalem” (above, verse 8). Will they strengthen the wall? Will they offer sacrifices and finish it in a day? Will they offer sacrifices so that, through the merit of those sacrifices, a miracle will be performed for them and the work completed in a single day? Or will a miracle be performed for them to revive the stones that had already “died” and lay buried in heaps of dust, though they were burned? Figuratively, he applied the concepts of death and life to the stones.

And Tobiah: He added that even if they succeeded in completing the construction, it would not constitute a fortified structure, for even a fox could breach it. Foxes commonly make openings among ruins, as it is written, “Your prophets, O Israel, were like foxes among ruins” (Ezekiel 13:4).

Hear: First, repay them for the contempt with which they scorned us. Second, do not cover their iniquity in provoking the builders, for they sought actively to hinder them from their work. Concerning the words “and let not their sin be blotted out,” see Jeremiah 18:23.

So we built: Nevertheless, not only was the work not halted because of them, but the people had a heart to work; their enemies’ actions did not cause any laziness or discouragement to enter their hearts.