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.
24
And their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
25
And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them and plucked off their hair, and adjured them by God [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.
26
Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among the many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel; but even him did foreign wives cause to sin.
27
And should we hearken to you to do all this great evil, to act unfaithfully to our God by marrying foreign wives?
28
And [one] of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; and I chased him from me.
29
Remember them, my God, for they are polluters of the priesthood, and of the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites!