14. Remember me for this, my God, and don’t erase the deeds of faithful love I have done for the house of my God and for its services.
15. At that time I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in stores of grain and loading them on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being brought to Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. So I warned them against selling food on that day.
16. The Tyrians living there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
17. I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them: “What is this evil you are doing — profaning the Sabbath day?
18. Didn’t your ancestors do the same, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His anger against Israel by profaning the Sabbath! ”
19. When shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem just before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the gates be closed and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my men at the gates, so that no goods could enter during the Sabbath day.
20. Once or twice the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,