Under the cover of darkness, a secret scouting mission takes place around the ruined walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah sets out in the dead of night to personally assess the extent of the city's devastation and to plan the massive restoration work ahead. His journey begins at the Valley Gate on the western side of the city, which leads down to the Valley of Hinnom. It is believed that Nehemiah's own home was located near this starting point [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם]. From there, he proceeds toward the Jackal's Well, generally identified as En-rogel [שטיינזלץ, מצודת דוד], before advancing to the Dung Gate, the traditional exit used for removing the city's trash and refuse [רלב״ג].
As he moves along the perimeter, Nehemiah interacts closely with the ruined structures. The primary approach among commentators is that his actions involve deep observation and calculation [אבן עזרא, רלב״ג, שטיינזלץ ומלבי״ם]. He carefully examines the walls, mentally measuring the immense effort that will be required to rebuild them. Adding a practical dimension to this survey, he conducts a structural integrity check, closely inspecting the remaining standing sections to determine which parts are strong enough to keep and which must be torn down [מלבי״ם].
Conversely, another perspective suggests that Nehemiah's actions are far more physical and destructive [רש״י ומצודת דוד]. According to this view, Nehemiah and his men use the darkness to actively knock down and break through fragile sections of the wall. Because the structures are already weak and charred, they easily crumble. This intentional destruction serves a psychological purpose: by causing a sudden collapse in the night, Nehemiah hopes to spark panic among the residents of Jerusalem. Believing that an enemy is breaching the city, the people will be driven by urgency to quickly rebuild their defenses.
Ultimately, the nightly tour reveals the grim reality of Jerusalem's state, confirming that the walls are riddled with gaping breaches and the city's gates have been completely consumed by fire [מצודת ציון].