Nehemiah 13:15

“In those days saw I in Judah some treading winepresses on the sabbath, etc.] Which was not a work of necessity, and so did not drive away the sabbath, as the Jews express themselves, but might have been deferred to another day: and bringing in sheaves; of wheat, it being the time of wheat harvest: and lading asses; with goods to be carried from place to place, and sold on that day; this was contrary to the express law, for the ass was to rest, (<050514>Deuteronomy 5:14), as also wine, grapes, and figs: it being the time of ingathering the fruits of the earth: and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; besides those borne on asses, others were carried on…”

“THE VIOLATION OF THE SABBATH. (Neh. 13:15-31) In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine-presses on the sabbath--The cessation of the temple services had been necessarily followed by a public profanation of the Sabbath, and this had gone so far that labor was carried on in the fields, and fish brought to the markets on the sacred day. Nehemiah took the decisive step of ordering the city gates to be shut, and not to be opened, till the Sabbath was past; and in order to ensure the faithful execution of this order, he stationed some of his own servants as guards, to prevent the introduction of any commodities on that day. On the merchants and various dealers finding admission denied them,…”

“The desecration of the Sabbath is first brought into prominence among the sins of the Jewish people by Jeremiah Jeremiah 17:21-27. It could not but have gained ground during the captivity, when foreign masters would not have allowed the cessation of labor for one day in seven. On the return from the captivity, the sabbatical rest appears to have been one of the institutions most difficult to re-establish. In the day - Some render, “concerning the day.” return to 'Top of Page'”

“13:15-31 Nehemiah instituted two additional reforms to restore proper Sabbath observance (13:15-22) and proper marriage practices (13:23-31). These two sections have similar structures: Nehemiah discovered a problem, corrected the problem, and asked God for his blessing. 13:15-16 Normal work was to cease on the Sabbath in order to keep it holy (Exod 20:8-11; 31:14-17; 35:2-3; Jer 17:19-27).”

“treading wine: Exo 20:8-11, Exo 34:21, Exo 35:2; Isa 58:13; Eze 20:13 burdens: Neh 10:31; Num 15:32-36; Jer 17:21, Jer 17:22, Jer 17:24, Jer 17:27 I testified: Neh 13:21, Neh 9:29; Deu 8:19; Ch2 24:19; Psa 50:7; Jer 42:19; Mic 6:3; Act 2:40; Act 20:21; Gal 5:3; Eph 4:17; Th1 4:6; Rev 22:18, Rev 22:19 Nehemiah 13:16”

“Field-work and trading on the Sabbath done away with. - Neh 13:15. In those days, i.e., when he was occupied with the arrangements for worship, Nehemiah saw in Judah (in the province) some treading wine-presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses, and also wine, grapes, and figs, and all kinds of burdens, and bringing it to Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day. The מביאים is again taken up by the second וּמביאים, and more closely defined by the addition: to Jerusalem. Robinson describes an ancient wine-press in his Biblical Researches, p. 178. On כּל־משּׂא, comp. Jer 17:21. ואעיד, and I testified (against them), i.e., warned them on the day wherein they sold victuals. ציד,…”