Nehemiah 13:15-22

Sabbath Restored

15 In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses ¹on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, ²and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So ³I admonished them on the day they sold food.

16 Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem.

17 Then ⁴I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day?

18 "⁵Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath."

19 ⁶It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day.

20 Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside * Jerusalem.

21 Then ⁷I warned them and said to them, "Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you." From that time on they did not come on the sabbath.

22 And I commanded the Levites that ⁸they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers * to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also ⁹remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.

Nehemiah 13:15-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 13

This chapter relates the reformation of various abuses crept in among the Jews by Nehemiah, who removed the Moabites and Ammonites, mixed with them, Ne 13:1-3, threw the household goods of Tobiah out of a chamber of the temple, and restored it to its former use, Ne 13:4-9, took care that the Levites had their portion given them which had been kept from them, Ne 13:10-14 prevented the profanation of the sabbath by selling goods on that day, Ne 13:15-22, and put a stop to the marrying of strange wives, which had prevailed again among them, Ne 13:23-31.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 20:8; Exodus 34:21; Deuteronomy 5:12-14; Jeremiah 17:22
• 2. Nehemiah 10:31; Jeremiah 17:21
• 3. Nehemiah 9:29; Nehemiah 13:21
• 4. Nehemiah 13:11, 25
• 5. Ezra 9:13; Jeremiah 17:21
• 6. Leviticus 23:32
• 7. Nehemiah 13:15
• 8. 1 Chronicles 15:12; Nehemiah 12:30
• 9. Nehemiah 13:14, 31

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "in it"
• [b]. Or "contended with"
• [c]. Lit "and"
• [d]. Lit "and commanded"
• [e]. Lit "witnessed against"
• [f]. Lit "send a hand against"