by night. Could Nehemiah have gone thus secretly if Ezra had 42,360 Jews there? And what need for it? Nehemiah had only a few men, and was in the midst of enemies.
the gate. Note the twelve gates (corresponding with the twelve gates of Rev_21:21). See App-59.
port = gate.
viewed = kept peering into.
which were, &c. Hebrew text so written; but to be read, with some codices and three early printed editions, "how they were broken down".