Nehemiah 13:21

21 And I testified against them, and said to them, Why do ye pass the night before the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came not on the sabbath.

Nehemiah 13:21 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 13:21

Then I testified against them
Against their continuance there, and threatened them, and called heaven and earth to witness what he would do to them, if they did not depart:

why lodge ye about the wall?
of the city, waiting an opportunity to get in, and tempting the Jews to come out and buy their ware:

if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you;
beat them, or slay them, at least imprison them:

from that time forth came they no more on the sabbath;
finding there was no likelihood of getting into the city, and that they were liable to be taken up and punished.

Nehemiah 13:21 In-Context

19 And it came to pass, that when it began to be dark in the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut; and I commanded that they should not be opened till after the sabbath. And I set [some] of my servants at the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the sabbath day.

20 And the dealers and sellers of all kind of ware passed the night without Jerusalem once or twice.

21 And I testified against them, and said to them, Why do ye pass the night before the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came not on the sabbath.

22 And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to hallow the sabbath day. Remember this also for me, my God, and spare me according to thy great loving-kindness!

23 In those days also I saw Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, [and] of Moab.