Thematic Bible: Earnestness in reform
Thematic Bible
Nehemiah » Earnestness in reform
In those days, I saw in Judah some who were crushing grapes on the Sabbath, and harvesting grain and putting it on Asses; as well as wine and grapes and figs and all sorts of goods that they took into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. I gave witness against them on the day when they were marketing food. There were men of Tyre there. They came with fish and all sorts of goods, trading with the children of Judah and in Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Then I made protests to the chiefs of Judah, and said to them: What is this evil you are doing, not keeping the Sabbath day holy? read more.
Did not your fathers do the same, and did not our God send all this evil on us and on this town? You are causing more anger to come on Israel by not keeping the Sabbath holy. When the streets of Jerusalem were getting dark before the Sabbath, I gave orders for the gate to be shut and not to be open again until after the Sabbath. I put some of my servants by the gate so that nothing might be taken in on the Sabbath day. So the traders in all sorts of goods took their night's rest outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I gave witness against them and said: Why are you waiting all night by the wall? If you do so again I will have you taken prisoners. From that time they did not come again on the Sabbath. I gave the Levites orders to make themselves clean and come and keep the gates and make the Sabbath holy. Keep this in mind to my credit, O my God, and have mercy on me, for great is your mercy. I saw the Jews who were married to women of Ashdod and Ammon and Moab: Their children were talking half in the language of Ashdod; they had no knowledge of the Jews' language, but made use of the language of the two peoples. I took up the cause against them, cursing them and giving blows to some of them and pulling out their hair. I made them take an oath by God, saying: You are not to give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Was it not in these things that Solomon, king of Israel, did wrong? Among a number of nations there was no king like him. He was dear to his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But even he was made to do evil by strange women. Are we then without protest to let you do all this great evil, sinning against our God by taking strange women for your wives? One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib, the chief priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, so I sent him away from me. Keep them in mind, O my God, because they have put shame on the priests' name and on the agreement of the priests and the Levites. I made them clean from all strange people. Regular watches were fixed for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work. And for the wood offering, at fixed times, and for the first fruits. Keep me in mind, O my God, for good.
Did not your fathers do the same, and did not our God send all this evil on us and on this town? You are causing more anger to come on Israel by not keeping the Sabbath holy. When the streets of Jerusalem were getting dark before the Sabbath, I gave orders for the gate to be shut and not to be open again until after the Sabbath. I put some of my servants by the gate so that nothing might be taken in on the Sabbath day. So the traders in all sorts of goods took their night's rest outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I gave witness against them and said: Why are you waiting all night by the wall? If you do so again I will have you taken prisoners. From that time they did not come again on the Sabbath. I gave the Levites orders to make themselves clean and come and keep the gates and make the Sabbath holy. Keep this in mind to my credit, O my God, and have mercy on me, for great is your mercy. I saw the Jews who were married to women of Ashdod and Ammon and Moab: Their children were talking half in the language of Ashdod; they had no knowledge of the Jews' language, but made use of the language of the two peoples. I took up the cause against them, cursing them and giving blows to some of them and pulling out their hair. I made them take an oath by God, saying: You are not to give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. Was it not in these things that Solomon, king of Israel, did wrong? Among a number of nations there was no king like him. He was dear to his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But even he was made to do evil by strange women. Are we then without protest to let you do all this great evil, sinning against our God by taking strange women for your wives? One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib, the chief priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, so I sent him away from me. Keep them in mind, O my God, because they have put shame on the priests' name and on the agreement of the priests and the Levites. I made them clean from all strange people. Regular watches were fixed for the priests and for the Levites, everyone in his work. And for the wood offering, at fixed times, and for the first fruits. Keep me in mind, O my God, for good.