Nehemiah 13:17–22

¹⁷I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?^{b 18}Didn’t your ancestors do the same, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city?^c And now you are rekindling his anger against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”

¹⁹When shadows began to fall on the city gates of Jerusalem just before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the city gates be closed and not opened until after the Sabbath.^d I posted some of my men at the gates, so that no goods could enter during the Sabbath day.^{e 20}Once or twice the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem, ²¹but I warned them, “Why are you camping in front of the wall? If you do it again, I’ll use force^A against you.” After that they did not come again on the Sabbath. ²²Then I instructed the Levites to purify themselves^f and guard the city gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.^g

Remember me for this also, my God,^h and look on me with compassion according to the abundance of your faithful love.ⁱ