New Living Translation
Nehemiah 10:31
31“We also promise that if the people of the land should bring any merchandise or grain to be sold on the Sabbath or on any other holy day, we will refuse to buy it. Every seventh year we will let our land rest, and we will cancel all debts owed to us.
Nehemiah 10:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
- New International Version (NIV)“When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land and will cancel all debts.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And if the peoples of the land bring in goods or any grain on the Sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. And we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.
- New King James Version (NKJV)if the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and we would forego the seventh year’s produce and the exacting of every debt.
Context of Nehemiah 10:31
29joined their leaders and bound themselves with an oath. They swore a curse on themselves if they failed to obey the Law of God as issued by his servant Moses. They solemnly promised to carefully follow all the commands, regulations, and decrees of the Lord our Lord: 30“We promise not to let our daughters marry the pagan people of the land, and not to let our sons marry their daughters. “We also promise that if the people of the land should bring any merchandise or grain to be sold on the Sabbath or on any other holy day, we will refuse to buy it. Every seventh year we will let our land rest, and we will cancel all debts owed to us. 32“In addition, we promise to obey the command to pay the annual Temple tax of one-eighth of an ounce of silver for the care of the Temple of our God. 33This will provide for the Bread of the Presence; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, the new moon celebrations, and the annual festivals; for the holy offerings; and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel. It will provide for everything necessary for the work of the Temple of our God.
Read all of Nehemiah 10Nehemiah 10:31 word by word
וְעַמֵּ֣י הָאָ֡רֶץ הַֽמְבִיאִים֩ אֶת־הַמַּקָּח֨וֹת וְכָל־שֶׁ֜בֶר בְּי֤וֹם הַשַּׁבָּת֙ לִמְכּ֔וֹר לֹא־נִקַּ֥ח מֵהֶ֛ם בַּשַּׁבָּ֖ת וּבְי֣וֹם קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְנִטֹּ֛שׁ אֶת־הַשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖ית וּמַשָּׁ֥א כָל־יָֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- wareמַקָּחָהmaqqâchâh · wareH4728
- or any victualsשֶׁ֫בֶרsheber · grainH7668
- on the sabbathשַׁבָּתshabbâth · SabbathH7676
- dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- to sellמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
- we would not buyלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- or on the holyקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
- we would leaveנָטַשׁnâţash · to leaveH5203
- the seventhשְׁבִיעִיshebîy‛îy shebi‛îy · seventhH7637
- yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- and the exactionמַשָּׂאmaώώâ' · burdenH4853
- of every debtיָדyâd · handH3027
Cross-references for Nehemiah 10:31
- Nehemiah 13:15In those days I saw men of Judah treading out their winepresses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in grain, loading it on donkeys, and bringing their wine, grapes, figs, and all sorts of produce to Jerusalem to sell on the Sabbath. So I rebuked them for selling their produce on that day.
- Exodus 20:10but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you.
- Leviticus 23:3“You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of complete rest, an official day for holy assembly. It is the Lord’s Sabbath day, and it must be observed wherever you live.
- Deuteronomy 5:12“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you.
- Isaiah 58:13“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do on that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly.
- Jeremiah 17:21This is what the Lord says: Listen to my warning! Stop carrying on your trade at Jerusalem’s gates on the Sabbath day.
- Exodus 12:16On the first day of the festival and again on the seventh day, all the people must observe an official day for holy assembly. No work of any kind may be done on these days except in the preparation of food.
- Leviticus 16:29“On the tenth day of the appointed month in early autumn, you must deny yourselves. Neither native-born Israelites nor foreigners living among you may do any kind of work. This is a permanent law for you.
- Leviticus 23:21That same day will be proclaimed an official day for holy assembly, a day on which you do no ordinary work. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live.
- Colossians 2:16So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
- Exodus 23:10“Plant and harvest your crops for six years,
- Leviticus 25:4but during the seventh year the land must have a Sabbath year of complete rest. It is the Lord’s Sabbath. Do not plant your fields or prune your vineyards during that year.
- 2 Chronicles 36:21So the message of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said.
- Nehemiah 5:1About this time some of the men and their wives raised a cry of protest against their fellow Jews.
- Deuteronomy 15:1“At the end of every seventh year you must cancel the debts of everyone who owes you money.
- Matthew 6:12and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 10:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Bring ware - We will most solemnly keep the Sabbath. Leave the seventh year - We will let the land have its Sabbath, and rest every seventh year. See on Exodus 23:10-11; (note).Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31Bring ware on the sabbath day - Compare Nehemiah 13:16, where this desecration of the Sabbath is shown to have commonly taken place. Leave the seventh year - i. e., “let the land rest in the sabbatical year” (margin reference) and give up the “pledge-taking” Nehemiah 10:2-10.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31Stopping trade on the Sabbath was important for keeping the covenant (compare Nehemiah 13:15–22; see Exodus 16:29; 20:8–11; 31:15; Numbers 15:32–36; Amos 8:5). Every seventh year: See Exodus 23:10–11; Leviticus 25:2–7; Deuteronomy 15:1–3.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-3929-37. to observe and do all the commandments, &c.--This national covenant, besides containing a solemn pledge of obedience to the divine law generally, specified their engagement to some particular duties, which the character and exigency of the times stamped with great urgency and importance, and which may be summed up under the following heads: that they abstain from contracting matrimonial alliances with the heathen; that they would rigidly observe…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 10:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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