Place Old Testament
Ophel
Ophel was a fortified area in Jerusalem, located near the temple, and was inhabited by temple servants during the time of Nehemiah. Mentioned in 5 verses across 2 books, first at 2 Chronicles 27:3.
Why it matters. A fortified area in Jerusalem
- Location
- 31.777, 35.235 (approximate, within about 2 km)
Coordinates from STEPBible TIPNR (palopenmaps.org link). Approximate; not independently verified.
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Ophel
Ophel was a fortified area or hill in Jerusalem, located south of the temple mount. It is mentioned in connection with the construction and repair of Jerusalem's walls during the reigns of Jotham (2Chr. 27:3) and Manasseh (2Chr. 33:14). During the time of Nehemiah, the Ophel was inhabited by the temple servants, known as the Nethinim (Neh. 3:26; 11:21). The wall of the Ophel was repaired by the Nethinim and other workers during the rebuilding of Jerusalem's defenses under Nehemiah (Neh. 3:27). The Ophel likely served as a strategic and defensive area, protecting the temple complex and the southern part of the city.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
No reviewed connections yet.
Appears in Scripture
Named in 5 verses across 2 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.