Nehemiah 2:13

The gate of the valley. For an understanding of Nehemiah’s nocturnal investigation (vs. 13-15), of the different sections of the wall during the course of reconstruction (Neh. 3), and the dedication ceremony (Neh. 12:27-43), a description of the topographical features of Jerusalem is essential. For this see Additional Note on Neh. 3, and The Walls of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s Day.

Those who include the western hill in the city of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s time, locate the Valley Gate near the southwestern corner of Jerusalem, opposite the Valley of Hinnom. Those who limit the city of Nehemiah to the two eastern hills of Jerusalem locate the Valley Gate about halfway along the western wall. It was one or the other of these gates that Uzziah had fortified two centuries earlier (2 Chron. 26:9). Most probably it was the latter gate, remains of which were discovered in the English excavations of 1927, leading into the city from the Tyropoeon Valley.

The dragon well. The name “Dragon Well” appears nowhere else in the Bible. This well is generally identified with the En-rogel (Joshua 15:7; etc.), now called the Well of Job, or the Well of Nehemiah, at the junction of the Hinnom and Kidron valleys. This identification can stand only if the Hebrew expression ’el-pene, translated “before” in the KJV, can have the meaning, “in the direction of,” which is by no means certain.

However, if this expression means “[passing] by” or “opposite,” then the Dragon Well must have dried up since the days of Nehemiah. If so, it was situated either in the western section of the Hinnom Valley or midway in the Tyropoeon Valley, depending upon which view regarding the size of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s day is accepted.

The dung port. This gate was situated 1,000 cubits (about 1,458 ft.; 444.4 m.) from the Valley Gate (Neh. 3:13). The “dung port” apparently received its name from the fact that the refuse of the city was carried through this gate to the Valley of Hinnom.

Viewed the walls. Leaving the city through the Valley Gate, Nehemiah inspected the wall from the outside in order to ascertain the extent of damage done to this part of the wall. The sections of wall enclosing the northern part of the city Nehemiah may have been able to observe unobtrusively upon approaching Jerusalem, and during his visits to the Temple and the officials, who apparently lived in the northern quarter of the city.