Nehemiah 13:16

16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, who brought fish and all manner of merchandise, and sold on the sabbath to the sons of Judah in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 13:16 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 13:16

There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish
From Tyre and Zidon, and the parts adjacent: these they brought from Joppa, and from thence to Jerusalem, and had houses or lodgings near the fish gate or fish market, where they sold them:

and all manner of ware;
or merchandise, which, being a trading city, they had from all nations:

and sold on the sabbath day unto the children of Judah, and in
Jerusalem;
or even in Jerusalem, the holy city, where stood the temple, and where the worship of God was kept, and where the magistrates lived, who should have been terrors to evildoers: indeed, the law of the sabbath was not binding on these Tyrians, but then they tempted the Jews to break it, by bringing their ware to sell.

Nehemiah 13:16 In-Context

14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my mercies that I have done for the house of my God and for its wards.

15 In those days I saw in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath and bringing in sheaves and lading asses with wine, grapes, figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I protested unto them the day in which they sold the food.

16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, who brought fish and all manner of merchandise, and sold on the sabbath to the sons of Judah in Jerusalem.

17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do and profane thus the sabbath day?

18 Did not your fathers do this, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.