The chapter breaks into two principal parts. Nehemiah 3:1–15 relates the repairing of the western wall, while Nehemiah 3:16–31 records the rebuilding of the eastern wall, with it being understood that the narrow northern and southern walls are included with the western and eastern walls.
The two sections differ in their respective preference for the words next to him/them
(the first section) in contrast to after him/them
(the second section). It would seem that the reason for this difference lies in the more extensive damage done to the eastern wall in contrast to the western wall so that the eastern work required the construction of a new wall altogether at a place further up the steep slope.
It should be noted that the chapter consists of names and places (many, especially on the eastern wall, of which we today have no idea where or who they are). The chapter is not interested in telling us how these people did their work.
1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.