Definition: 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.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from Nehemiah 10:31. It's a really important rule set up for how Jewish communities were to handle money and debts during their time in exile – essentially, before the return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian Exile. Here’s what it means in simpler terms: The Core Idea: This verse is about protecting the Sabbath from being exploited. It's saying that if people brought goods or food on the Sabbath day (a holy day), the Jewish community didn't want to buy them. They wanted to keep the Sabbath sacred and avoid being taken advantage of. Let’s unpack it piece by piece: “And [if] the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell…” : This means if people brought things – food, goods, money – to be sold on the Sabbath, it's a problem. “…to sell” : They were allowed to buy these items, but they weren’t allowed to profit from them. “that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day…” : This is the crucial part – the community didn't want to pay for these goods while the Sabbath was in effect. They wanted to keep the Sabbath free from being exploited. “…and [that] we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.” : This is where it gets really important. The Sabbath was a time for rest and worship – a time not to be dealing with debts or payments. The community wanted to: Leave the Seventh Year: They were to stay off the regular business cycle of the year, which included paying debts (the “exaction of every debt”). Stop the Debt Collection: They intended to simply not collect money during the Sabbath. In a nutshell: This verse establishes a clear boundary – the community would not allow anyone to profit from or exploit the Sabbath day for payment. It was a way to maintain the sanctity and peace of the Sabbath as a time for rest and worship. Why is this important? This rule was a practical measure to help the Jewish people survive in exile. Without these protections, they would have been vulnerable to being exploited by merchants and lenders. --- Do you want me to: Explain it further with an analogy? Discuss its historical context?