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my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my
God, and for the offices thereof.
15
In those days saw I in Judah
some
treading winepresses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves,
and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all
manner of
burdens, which they brought into
Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified
against them
in the day wherein they sold victuals.
16
There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on
the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.
17
Then I contended with the nobles of
Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing
is
this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
18
Did
not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye
bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.
19
And it came to pass, that when the gates
of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and
charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and
some
of my servants set I at the
gates,
that
there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day.
20
So the merchants and sellers
of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice.
21
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.
22
And I commanded the Levites that they should
cleanse themselves, and
that
they should come
and
keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day.
Remember me, O my God,
concerning
this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy
mercy.
23
In those days also saw I Jews
that
had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon,
and
of Moab:
24
And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language,
but according to the language of each people.
25
And I contended with them, and cursed them, and
smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God,
saying,
Ye shall
not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.
26
Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king
like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even
him did outlandish women cause to sin.
27
Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil,
to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
28
And
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.
29
Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of
the priesthood, and of the Levites.
30
Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the
wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business;
31
And for the wood offering, at
times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
The Book of
602
KJV Bible