The Meaning of Nehemiah 10:31 Explained

Nehemiah 10:31

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.

YLT: and the peoples of the land who are bringing in the wares and any corn on the sabbath-day to sell, we receive not of them on the sabbath, and on a holy day, and we leave the seventh year, and usury on every hand.

Darby: and that if the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we would not take it of them on the sabbath, or on any holy day; and that we would leave the land uncultivated the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

ASV: and if the peoples of the land bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy of them on the sabbath, or on a holy day; and that we would forego the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Nehemiah 10:31 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 10:28-39 - A Pledge Of Better Service
The chapter opens with a list of the signers of the covenant, which was signed on behalf of the people. The consecration covenant involved-first, obedience; then, the purity of the holy seed from intermarriage with heathen peoples; next, the observance of the Sabbath, and of the Sabbatic year. In addition there was the yearly charge for the maintenance of divine worship. The great lack among Christian people is system in the apportioning of their incomes. They leave their giving to impulse, and thus often give the merest fraction of their possessions to the cause of God. We should at least give a tenth, and as much more as we can afford. If only all who read these words would resolve to imitate these impoverished exiles, and to set aside the tithe of all they earn or receive, they would discover the luxury of giving, and a new zest in receiving. The first-fruits of increased wages and revenue should also be given to God, as a tribute of thanksgiving. Let the first produce of hen-roost, orchard, and field be His. Do not neglect or forsake God's house, Nehemiah 10:39. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 10

1  The names of those who sealed the covenant
29  The points of the covenant

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 10:31 mean?

And [if] the peoples of the land brought - wares or any grain on day the Sabbath to sell not we would buy it from them on the Sabbath or on a day holy and we would forego the year's [produce] seventh and the exacting every of debt
וְעַמֵּ֣י הָאָ֡רֶץ הַֽמְבִיאִים֩ אֶת־ הַמַּקָּח֨וֹת וְכָל־ שֶׁ֜בֶר בְּי֤וֹם הַשַּׁבָּת֙ לִמְכּ֔וֹר לֹא־ נִקַּ֥ח מֵהֶ֛ם בַּשַּׁבָּ֖ת וּבְי֣וֹם קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְנִטֹּ֛שׁ הַשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖ית וּמַשָּׁ֥א כָל־ יָֽד

וְעַמֵּ֣י  And  [if]  the  peoples 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הָאָ֡רֶץ  of  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הַֽמְבִיאִים֩  brought 
Parse: Article, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמַּקָּח֨וֹת  wares 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַקָּחֹות  
Sense: ware.
וְכָל־  or  any 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
שֶׁ֜בֶר  grain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁבֶר  
Sense: grain, corn (as foodstuff).
בְּי֤וֹם  on  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשַּׁבָּת֙  the  Sabbath 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
לִמְכּ֔וֹר  to  sell 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: מָכַר  
Sense: to sell.
נִקַּ֥ח  we  would  buy  it 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
מֵהֶ֛ם  from  them 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
בַּשַּׁבָּ֖ת  on  the  Sabbath 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שַׁבָּת  
Sense: Sabbath.
וּבְי֣וֹם  or  on  a  day 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
קֹ֑דֶשׁ  holy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
וְנִטֹּ֛שׁ  and  we  would  forego 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common plural
Root: נָטַשׁ  
Sense: to leave, permit, forsake, cast off or away, reject, suffer, join, spread out or abroad, be loosed, cease, abandon, quit, hang loose, cast down, make a raid, lie fallow, let fall, forgo, draw.
הַשָּׁנָ֥ה  the  year's  [produce] 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
הַשְּׁבִיעִ֖ית  seventh 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal feminine singular
Root: שְׁבִיעִי  
Sense: seventh.
וּמַשָּׁ֥א  and  the  exacting 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַשָּׁא  
Sense: lending on interest, usury.
כָל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
יָֽד  of  debt 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.