Nehemiah 10:31 - Exposition

If the people of the land bring ware … on the sabbath . If the heathen of this region will insist on bringing their wares into our cities and offering them for immediate sale on the sabbath, we Jews bind ourselves not to deal with them on that day. Subsequently, Nehemiah carried out more stringent regulations ( Nehemiah 13:15-22 ). Or on the holy day . Rather, "or on a holy day." The people bind themselves to abstain from trade not only on the sabbath, but on any holy day. That we would leave the seventh year. By " leaving the seventh year," leaving the lands untilled every seventh or sabbatical year is meant. This precept of the law had been frequently neglected during the times of the monarchy, and its neglect was one of the sins which the captivity was expressly intended to punish ( 2 Chronicles 36:21 ). It now appears that after the return the precept had been again disobeyed. The exaction of every debt. Literally, "the pledge of every hand." Compare Nehemiah 5:2-13 , and note that, notwithstanding Nehemiah's curse and the people's assent to it (verse 13), the practice of lending upon pledge had recommenced.