Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gichon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate; and he compassed `Ofel about [with it], and raised it up to a very great height: and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Yehudah.
The rest of the people, the Kohanim, the Levites, the porters, the singers, the temple servants 1, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge, and understanding;
By the spring gate, and straight before them, they went up by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, even to the water gate eastward.
All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the broad place that was before the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the scroll of the Torah of Moshe, which the LORD had commanded to Yisra'el.
So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, everyone on the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the broad place of the water gate, and in the broad place of the gate of Efrayim.
He read therein before the broad place that was before the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were [attentive] to the scroll of the Torah.
For the palace will be forsaken. The populous city will be deserted. The hill and the watchtower will be for dens forever, a delight for wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks;