19. So when it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the doors should be shut. I also ordered that they shouldn’t be reopened until after the Sabbath. To make sure that no load would come into the city on the Sabbath, I stationed some of my own men at the gates.
20. Once or twice the traders and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem.
21. But I warned them: "Why are you spending the night by the wall? If you do that again, I will lay hands on you!" At that point, they stopped coming on the Sabbath.
22. I also commanded the Levites to purify themselves and to come and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.Remember this also in my favor, my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your mercy.
23. Also in those days I saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
24. Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of various peoples; they couldn’t speak the language of Judah.