Nehemiah 13:15-22

Expanded Bible

¹⁵ In those days I saw people in Judah ·working in the [^Ltreading] winepresses on the Sabbath day. They were bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys. And they were bringing loads of wine, grapes, and figs and other things into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I ·warned [admonished; rebuked] them about selling food on that day. ¹⁶ People from the city of Tyre who were living in Jerusalem ·brought in [imported] fish and other ·things [merchandise] and sold them there on the Sabbath day to the people of Judah—in Jerusalem itself! ¹⁷ I ·argued with [reprimanded; confronted] the ·important men [nobles] of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing? You are ·ruining [desecrating; profaning] the Sabbath day [Ex. 20:8–11; 31:12–17; Deut. 5:8–10]. ¹⁸ ·This is [^LIsn’t this…?] just what your ·ancestors [fathers] did. So our God ·did terrible things to us and [brought on us all this trouble/calamity and on] this city. Now you are ·making him even more angry at [bringing even more wrath on] Israel by ·ruining [desecrating; profaning] the Sabbath day.”

¹⁹ So I ordered that the ·doors [^Lgates of Jerusalem] be shut at ·sunset [^Ldark] before the Sabbath and not be opened until the Sabbath was over. I ·put [^Lstood] my servants at the gates so no load could come in on the Sabbath. ²⁰ Once or twice traders and ·sellers [merchants] of all kinds of ·goods [merchandise] spent the night outside Jerusalem. ²¹ So I ·warned [admonished; rebuked] them, “Why are you spending the night ·by [in front of] the wall? If you do it again, I will ·force you away [arrest/forcibly remove you; ^Lsend a hand on you].” After that, they did not come back on the Sabbath. ²² Then I ordered the Levites to purify themselves and to guard the city gates to make sure the Sabbath remained holy.

Remember me, my God, for this. Have ·mercy [compassion] on me because of your ·great [great and steadfast/unfailing] love.