² I commanded to Hanani, my brother, and to Hananiah, the prince of the house of Jerusalem (I put my brother Hanani, and Hananiah, the commander of the stronghold, or the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem); for he seemed a soothfast man, and dreading God more than other men did;

³ and I said to them, The gates of Jerusalem be not opened till to the heat of the sun (and I said to them, Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the heat of the sun); and, when I was yet present, the gates were closed, and locked. And I set keepers thereof (out) of the dwellers of Jerusalem, all men by their whiles, or times, and each man over against his own house.

⁴ And the city was full broad and great, and little people in the midst thereof (but there were few people living there), and the houses were not yet builded.