Nehemiah 13:21
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. 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.
The verse belongs to Nehemiah's prompt work of correction after returning from Persia to Jerusalem, when evils threatening to pervert the nation had crept in during his absence from the city. The action in the verse was a later step than the people's earlier covenant not to buy from the traders, which was intended to discourage Sabbath trading. Before the confrontation, the gates of Jerusalem were shut when it began to be dark before the Sabbath, and the Levites were directed to guard the gates so that no trading goods would enter on the Sabbath.
Those confronted were heathen merchants and sellers with laden donkeys, sacks, vessels and packs, who lodged outside about the wall once or twice hoping still to find opportunity for traffic with citizens or country people. Nehemiah confronted them by demanding why they lodged about the wall and warning that he would lay hands on them if they did so again, meaning he would punish them by force. The threat succeeded, and from that time forth they came no more on the Sabbath.