Nehemiah 13:15-22

15In those days I saw in Judah people 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 every kind of load, 2and they were bringing them into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So 3I admonished them on the day they sold food. 16Also people of Tyre were living 4there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the Sabbath, even in Jerusalem. 17Then 5I 6reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing that you are doing, 7by profaning the Sabbath day? 188Did your fathers not do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath against Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

19And 9it came about that just as it became dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I ordered that the doors be shut, 10and that they were not to 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. 20Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21Then 11I warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will 12use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath. 22And I ordered the Levites that 13they were to purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the Sabbath day. For this also 14remember me, my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your mercy.