Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath.
Then I warned them sternly and said to them, 'Why are you camping out by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.' From that time on, they stopped coming on the Sabbath.
Nehemiah is firmly warning merchants to stop trying to do business on the Sabbath, threatening arrest if they continue, which successfully stops their violations.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Nehemiah, set during the 5th century BC under Persian rule, Nehemiah served as governor of Judah and led efforts to rebuild Jerusalem's walls after the Babylonian exile. He was enforcing the Mosaic Law by confronting merchants and others who were conducting business and lodging near the walls on the Sabbath, which violated God's command for rest and holiness. This incident was part of Nehemiah's broader reforms to purify Jewish society and ensure fidelity to the covenant.
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