Sabbath trade is stopped through gate enforcement

Sabbath labor and Tyrian fish sales are seen in the city

In those days Nehemiah sees in Judah some treading winepresses on the Sabbath, bringing in sheaves, and lading asses with wine, grapes, figs, and all manner of burdens, which they bring into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. He testifies in the day they sell victuals. There dwell men of Tyre also, who bring fish and all manner of ware and sell on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah and in Jerusalem.

Gates shut, merchants camp outside, and a threat of force follows

He contends with the nobles of Judah: What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? 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 by profaning the Sabbath. As it begins to be dark before the Sabbath, he commands the gates to be shut and not opened till after the Sabbath, and sets some of his servants on the gates so no burden may enter. The merchants and sellers lodge without Jerusalem once or twice. He testifies that if they do so again, he will lay hands on them. From that time they come no more on the Sabbath. He commands the Levites to cleanse themselves and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

The reform joins rest, elite accountability, foreign traders, gate power, and a threat of laying hands on people. Sabbath limits on commerce protect covenant practice for a whole city, including servants. They do not authorize violent religious policing or treating Tyrian merchants as the moral problem because they are foreign.