If Samson had not gone into bad company he would never have lost his strength, and have had to grind blindly and miserably at the mill.

If Solomon had not kept bad company idolatry would never have ruined Jerusalem.

If Rehoboam had not kept bad company the kingdom of Israel would never have been divided; and again, and again, both in the history of the past and in the story of the present, we see men and women led astray by keeping bad company.
We have already seen Nehemiah taking strong measures to put down three of the great glaring evils which he found in Jerusalem on his return.

We have now to see him battling with this dreadful curse and snare--bad company.

If the other three evils needed strong measures, Nehemiah feels there is a tenfold need to take decided steps in this fourth and all-important matter.
For what does he find as he walks through the streets of Jerusalem?
He discovers that the inhabitants of the holy city are fast becoming foreigners and heathen.