¹⁸ Didn’t your ancestors do the same, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city?^(A) And now you are rekindling his anger against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”

¹⁹ When shadows began to fall on the city gates of Jerusalem just before the Sabbath, I gave orders that the city gates be closed and not opened until after the Sabbath.^(B) I posted some of my men at the gates, so that no goods could enter during the Sabbath day.^{(C) 20} Once or twice the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,