Nehemiah 13:15-18

Nehemiah also discovered something else when he returned to *Judah. He saw that some of the people were working on the 7th day of the week. They were also loading grain on horses. Maybe some of this was grain that they should have given to the *Levites (Nehemiah 13:10). The *Jews were also buying goods from the people of other nations on the 7th day of the week.

God had ordered the people to rest on the 7th day. He told them to allow their animals and their foreign servants to rest also (Exodus 23:12). But they were working and they were making their horses work too. The 7th day was a special day when the people *worshipped God. The people had promised that the 7th day of the week would be special and holy for God (Nehemiah 10:31). Again, they had failed to do something that they promised. And this was an important matter, because they made this promise to God.

Again, Nehemiah blamed the important men of *Judah. He said that their behaviour was wicked. He reminded them about their history. God had punished their *ancestors because they did not rest on the 7th day of the week. That was why God had allowed foreign nations to destroy Jerusalem. Now the people were making God angry again. Nehemiah probably remembered the words of the *prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah had warned the people just before God had sent them into *exile. He told them not to carry loads on the 7th day of the week (Jeremiah 17:19-27).

v19 I gave an order. At nightfall before the 7th day, the guards must shut the gates of Jerusalem. They must not open the gates until the 7th day is over. I told some of my servants to guard the gates. They did not allow anyone to bring a load in on the 7th day. v20 Once or twice, the merchants and various traders spent the night outside Jerusalem, near the city wall. v21 But I warned them. I said, ‘You must not stay by the wall during the night. If you do this again, I will arrest you.’ After that, they did not come on the 7th day. v22 I told the *Levites to wash themselves and to make themselves holy. I told them to go and to guard the gates. Then they would keep the 7th day holy.

My God, you know about these things also. Be kind to me because of your great love.