Nehemiah 13:15-17

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?

Nehemiah 13:15-17 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

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "in it"
• [b]. Or "contended with"
• [c]. Lit "and"