Bible Meaning: Hill
Strong's Concordance #H6077
Ophel, along with Zion, is one of the two mounts within the city of Jebus that was conquered by King David. After David took the city, he renamed it Jerusalem and made it his capital.
The original city of David is a narrow strip of land, shaped like a crescent, located between the Tyropeon Valley to the west and the Kidron Valley to the east. Mount Ophel is in the northern section of David's city. Due to its close proximity to the Gihon Spring, and other factors, Solomon's temple was likely constructed on Ophel (The Temples that Jerusalem Forgot).
Ophel was fortified during the reigns of King Jotham (750 - 735 B.C.) and King Manasseh (696 - 642).
During the time of Nehemiah, the area of Ophel was populated by those who helped repair Jerusalem's walls (Nehemiah 3:26 - 27, 11:20 - 21).
Important Verses
2Chronicles 27:1, 3
Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign (over the Kingdom of Judah), and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem . . . He built the high gate of the house of the Lord, and on the wall of Ophel he built much.
2Chronicles 33:10 - 14
And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns . . . And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God . . . Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.
Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah . . .
Nehemiah 3:1, 26 - 27
Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it . . .
Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out. After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over against the great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel.
Nehemiah 11:1, 20 - 21
And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities . . .
And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance. But the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were over the Nethinims.