17. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, and profane the Sabbath day?
18. Didn’t your fathers do thus, and didn’t our God bring all this evil on us, and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”
19. It came to pass that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut, and commanded that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. I set some of my servants over the gates, so that no burden should be brought in on the Sabbath day.
20. So the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares camped outside of Jerusalem once or twice.
21. Then I testified against them, and said to them, “Why do you stay around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.” From that time on, they didn’t come on the Sabbath.
22. I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember to me, my God, this also, and spare me according to the greatness of your loving kindness.
23. In those days I also saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab;
24. and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people.
25. I contended with them, and cursed them, and struck certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.
26. Didn’t Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless foreign women caused even him to sin.
27. Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”
28. One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I chased him from me.