SEV Biblia, Chapter 13:19
Sucedió pues, que cuando la sombra llegó a las puertas de Jerusalén antes del sábado, dije que se cerrasen las puertas, y ordené que no las abriesen hasta después del sábado; y puse a las puertas algunos de mis criados, para que en día de sábado no entrasen carga.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:19
Verse 19. When the gates-began to be dark] After sunset on Friday evening he caused the gates to be shut, and kept them shut all the Sabbath; and, as he could not trust the ordinary officers, he set some of his own servants to watch the gates, that no person might enter for the purpose of traffic.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 19. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath , etc.] Or “were shaded” f87 ; that is, as Jarchi interprets it, when the shadows of the eve of the sabbath were stretched out upon the gates; the sabbath did not begin till sun setting, and the stars appeared; but before that, as the sun was declining, the shadows through the houses in Jerusalem, and mountains about it, spread themselves over the gates: and when it was near dusk, and as soon as it was so, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath ; until sun setting the next day: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should be burden brought in on the sabbath day ; the porters being not to be trusted, being liable to be bribed and corrupted, which he knew his servants were not; and therefore, since it might be necessary on a few occasions to open the gates to let some persons in and out, and especially such who dwelt near, and came to worship, he placed his servants there, to take care that none were admitted that had any burdens upon them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 15-22 - The keeping holy the Lord's day forms an important object for their attention who would promote true godliness. Religion never prosper while sabbaths are trodden under foot. No wonder there was a genera decay of religion, and corruption of manners among the Jews, when the forsook the sanctuary and profaned the sabbath. Those little conside what an evil they do, who profane the sabbath. We must answer for the sins others are led to commit by our example. Nehemiah charges it of them as an evil thing, for so it is, proceeding from contempt of God and our own souls. He shows that sabbath-breaking was one of the sin for which God had brought judgments upon them; and if they did not tak warning, but returned to the same sins again, they had to expec further judgments. The courage, zeal, and prudence of Nehemiah in thi matter, are recorded for us to do likewise; and we have reason to think, that the cure he wrought was lasting. He felt and confesse himself a sinner, who could demand nothing from God as justice, when he thus cried unto him for mercy.
Original Hebrew
ויהי 1961 כאשׁר 834 צללו 6751 שׁערי 8179 ירושׁלם 3389 לפני 6440 השׁבת 7676 ואמרה 559 ויסגרו 5462 הדלתות 1817 ואמרה 559 אשׁר 834 לא 3808 יפתחום 6605 עד 5704 אחר 310 השׁבת 7676 ומנערי 5288 העמדתי 5975 על 5921 השׁערים 8179 לא 3808 יבוא 935 משׂא 4853 ביום 3117 השׁבת׃ 7676
