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.
19 And it came to pass, that when shadow came to the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut and charged that they should not be opened until after the sabbath; and I set some of my servants at the gates, that no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
20 So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of merchandise lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.
21 Then I testified and protested against them and said unto them, Why do ye lodge about the wall? If ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth they came no more on the sabbath.
22 And I told the Levites that they should cleanse themselves and that they should come and guard the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.
23 In those days I also saw Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab;