12
Then all Judah brought a tenth of all the grain harvested, new wine, and olive oil to the storerooms.
13
I appointed the following men to be in charge of the storerooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah the Levite, and I appointed Hanan, son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah to help them. Since they could be trusted, I made them responsible for distributing [the portions] to their relatives.
14
[Nehemiah prayed,] "Remember me for what I have done, my God, and don't wipe out the good things that I have done for your temple and for the worship that is held there."
15
In those days I saw people in Judah stomping grapes in the winepresses on the day of worship. I saw them bringing in loads of wine, grapes, figs, and every other kind of load. They piled the loads on donkeys and brought them into Jerusalem on the day of worship. I warned them about selling food on that day.
16
People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of goods. They were selling them on the day of worship to the people of Judah, even in Jerusalem.
17
I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and asked them, "What is this evil thing you're doing? How dare you treat the day of worship as unholy!
18
Isn't this what your ancestors did, with the results that our God brought all these evils on us and on this city? Now you're making him even more angry with Israel by treating the day of worship as unholy."
19
Before the day of worship, when the gates of Jerusalem were cleared of traffic, I ordered the doors to be shut and not to be reopened until after the day of worship. I stationed some of my men by the gates to make sure that no loads could be brought in on the day of worship.
20
Once or twice merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem.
21
I warned them. "Why are you spending the night in front of the wall?" I asked them. "If you do it again, I'll arrest you." After that, they no longer came on the day of worship.
22
Then I told the Levites to cleanse themselves and guard the gates to keep the day of worship holy. [Nehemiah prayed,] "Remember me also for this, my God, and spare me, since you are very kind."