31 (A)if the peoples of the land brought [a]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 (B)seventh year’s produce and the (C)exacting[b] of every debt.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 10:31 merchandise
  2. Nehemiah 10:31 collection

31 “When the neighboring peoples bring merchandise or grain to sell on the Sabbath,(A) we will not buy from them on the Sabbath or on any holy day. Every seventh year we will forgo working the land(B) and will cancel all debts.(C)

Read full chapter

15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses (A)on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, (B)which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. 16 Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, “What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? 18 (C)Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.”

19 So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it (D)began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. (E)Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of [a]wares [b]lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.

21 Then I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night [c]around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. 22 And I commanded the Levites that (F)they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 13:20 merchandise
  2. Nehemiah 13:20 spent the night
  3. Nehemiah 13:21 Lit. before

15 In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath.(A) Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day. 16 People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath(B) to the people of Judah. 17 I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city?(C) Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”(D)

19 When evening shadows fell on the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath,(E) I ordered the doors to be shut and not opened until the Sabbath was over. I stationed some of my own men at the gates so that no load could be brought in on the Sabbath day. 20 Once or twice the merchants and sellers of all kinds of goods spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21 But I warned them and said, “Why do you spend the night by the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you.” From that time on they no longer came on the Sabbath. 22 Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and go and guard the gates in order to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Remember(F) me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.

Read full chapter

The Sabbath

(A)‘Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings.

Read full chapter

The Sabbath

“‘There are six days when you may work,(A) but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest,(B) a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work;(C) wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.

Read full chapter

The Law of Sabbaths

10 (A)“Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce, 11 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your [a]olive grove.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 23:11 olive yards

Sabbath Laws

10 “For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, 11 but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused.(A) Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

Read full chapter

10 but the (A)seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, (B)nor your stranger who is within your gates.

Read full chapter

10 but the seventh day is a sabbath(A) to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.

Read full chapter

21 Thus says the Lord: (A)“Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; 22 nor carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor do any work, but hallow the Sabbath day, as I (B)commanded your fathers.

Read full chapter

21 This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath(A) day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors.(B)

Read full chapter

13 “If (A)you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,
14 (B)Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to (C)ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
(D)The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Read full chapter

13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath(A)
    and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight(B)
    and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
    and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,(C)
14 then you will find your joy(D) in the Lord,
    and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights(E) of the land
    and to feast on the inheritance(F) of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.(G)

Read full chapter

Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To (A)loose the bonds of wickedness,
(B)To undo the [a]heavy burdens,
(C)To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 58:6 Lit. bonds of the yoke

“Is not this the kind of fasting(A) I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice(B)
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed(C) free
    and break every yoke?(D)

Read full chapter

Nehemiah Deals with Oppression

And there was a great (A)outcry of the people and their wives against their (B)Jewish brethren. For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”

There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.”

There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards. Yet now (C)our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we (D)are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”

And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, (E)“Each of you is [a]exacting usury from his brother.” So I [b]called a great assembly against them. And I said to them, “According to our ability we have (F)redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?”

Then they were silenced and found nothing to say. Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk (G)in the fear of our God (H)because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10 I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this [c]usury! 11 Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.”

12 So they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.”

Then I called the priests, (I)and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. 13 Then (J)I shook out [d]the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.”

And all the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. (K)Then the people did according to this promise.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 5:7 charging interest
  2. Nehemiah 5:7 Lit. held
  3. Nehemiah 5:10 interest
  4. Nehemiah 5:13 Lit. my lap

Nehemiah Helps the Poor

Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”

Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields,(A) our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”(B)

Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax(C) on our fields and vineyards. Although we are of the same flesh and blood(D) as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery.(E) Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”(F)

When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!”(G) So I called together a large meeting to deal with them and said: “As far as possible, we have bought(H) back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.(I)

So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach(J) of our Gentile enemies? 10 I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest!(K) 11 Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest(L) you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”

12 “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”

Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath(M) to do what they had promised. 13 I also shook(N) out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”

At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,”(O) and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

Read full chapter

21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of (A)Jeremiah, until the land (B)had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate (C)she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

Read full chapter

21 The land enjoyed its sabbath rests;(A) all the time of its desolation it rested,(B) until the seventy years(C) were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.

Read full chapter

Generosity to the Poor

“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the [a]gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, (A)you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but (B)you shall [b]open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your (C)eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and (D)he cry out to the Lord against you, and (E)it become sin among you.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 15:7 towns
  2. Deuteronomy 15:8 freely open

If anyone is poor(A) among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted(B) toward them. Rather, be openhanded(C) and freely lend them whatever they need. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts,(D) is near,” so that you do not show ill will(E) toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.(F)

Read full chapter

Debts Canceled Every Seven Years(A)

15 “At the end of (B)every seven years you shall grant a [a]release of debts. And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall [b]release it; he shall not [c]require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the Lord’s release. Of a foreigner you may require it; but you shall give up your claim to what is owed by your brother,

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 15:1 remission
  2. Deuteronomy 15:2 cancel the debt
  3. Deuteronomy 15:2 exact it

The Year for Canceling Debts(A)

15 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.(B) This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. You may require payment from a foreigner,(C) but you must cancel any debt your fellow Israelite owes you.

Read full chapter

12 (A)‘Observe the Sabbath day, to [a]keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. 13 (B)Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is the (C)Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:12 sanctify it

12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy,(A) as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day(B) is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant,(C) nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do.(D)

Read full chapter