Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options
Close TLV

Nehemiah 5
Tree of Life Version

Considering the Poor

5 Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives to their fellow Jews. 2 There were those who said, “We and our sons and our daughters are numerous. We must take grain, so we may eat and live.”

3 There were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses in order to obtain grain during the famine.”

4 Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 And now, though we share the same flesh as our brothers, and our children are just like their children, still we subject our sons and our daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved but our hands are tied since our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 I pondered them in my heart and then I opposed the nobles and the officials, saying to them, “Usury! Each of you is putting his brother in debt!”

So I convened a great assembly to deal with them. 8 I said to them, “As much as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who had been sold to the nations. Now you also are selling your brothers so that they will be sold back to us?” Then they became silent and could not find anything to say.

9 Then I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good! Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God, in order to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? 10 Even I, my brothers, and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let this usury stop, now! 11 Now, return to them this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, as well as the hundredth that you have extracted from them on the money, the grain, the new wine, and the fresh oil.”

12 Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do just as you say.”

Then I summoned the kohanim and I made them swear to do according to this promise. 13 Also I shook out my garment, and said, “In this way may God shake out from His house and from His property every one that does not keep this promise. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!”

And all the assembly replied, “Amen!” and they praised Adonai. So the people did according to this promise.

Nehemiah’s Unselfishness

14 Moreover, from the day when I was appointed to be the governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes—twelve years—neither I, nor my relatives have eaten the bread allocated to the governor. 15 The earlier governors, those preceding me, placed heavy burdens on the people, and took bread and wine from them, in addition to forty shekels of silver. Their attendants also lorded over the people. But I did not do so, out of fear of God. 16 Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall, without even buying a field. All my attendants were gathered there for the work.

17 Furthermore, 150 Judeans and officials, as well as those that came to us from the nations around us, were at my table. 18 Now, each day one ox and six choice sheep, as well as some fowl, were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundance of every kind of wine was prepared. Despite all this, I did not require the governor’s food allowance, because the work was already heavy on this people.

19 Remember me for good, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.

Listen to Nehemiah 5
Close NKJV

Nehemiah 5
New King James Version

Nehemiah Deals with Oppression

5 And there was a great (A)outcry of the people and their wives against their (B)Jewish brethren. 2 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.”

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

4 There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards. 5 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.”

6 And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 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. 8 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. 9 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.

The Generosity of Nehemiah

14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year (L)until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers (M)ate the governor’s provisions. 15 But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but (N)I did not do so, because of the (O)fear of God. 16 Indeed, I also continued the (P)work on this wall, and [e]we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work.

17 And (Q)at my table were one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us. 18 Now that (R)which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. Yet in spite of this (S)I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

19 (T)Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

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
  5. Nehemiah 5:16 So with MT; LXX, Syr., Vg. I
Listen to Nehemiah 5
Close NIV

Nehemiah 5
New International Version

Nehemiah Helps the Poor

5 Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. 2 Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”

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

4 Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax(C) on our fields and vineyards. 5 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)

6 When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 7 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 8 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)

9 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.

14 Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(P) when I was appointed to be their governor(Q) in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. 15 But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels[a] of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God(R) I did not act like that. 16 Instead,(S) I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we[b] did not acquire any land.

17 Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. 18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry(T) were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.

19 Remember(U) me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 5:15 That is, about 1 pound or about 460 grams
  2. Nehemiah 5:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac I
Close NET

Nehemiah 5
New English Translation

Nehemiah Intervenes on behalf of the Oppressed

5 Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.[a] 2 There were those who said, “With our sons and daughters, we are many. We must obtain[b] grain in order to eat and stay alive.” 3 There were others who said, “We are putting up our fields, our vineyards, and our houses as collateral in order to obtain grain during the famine.” 4 Then there were those who said, “We have borrowed money to pay our taxes to the king[c] on our fields and our vineyards. 5 And now, though we share the same flesh and blood as our fellow countrymen[d] and our children are just like their children,[e] still we have found it necessary to subject our sons and daughters to slavery.[f] Some of our daughters have been subjected to slavery, while we are powerless to help,[g] since our fields and vineyards now belong to other people.”[h]

6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints.[i] 7 I considered these things carefully[j] and then registered a complaint with the wealthy[k] and the officials. I said to them, “Each one of you is seizing the collateral[l] from your own countrymen!”[m] Because of them I called for[n] a great public assembly. 8 I said to them, “To the extent possible we have bought back our fellow Jews[o] who had been sold to the Gentiles. But now you yourselves want to sell your own countrymen,[p] so that we can then buy them back!” They were utterly silent, and could find nothing to say.

9 Then I[q] said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong![r] Should you not conduct yourselves[s] in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies? 10 Even I and my relatives[t] and my associates[u] are lending them money and grain. But let us abandon this practice of seizing collateral![v] 11 This very day return to them their fields, their vineyards, their olive trees, and their houses, along with the interest[w] that you are exacting from them on the money, the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil.”

12 They replied, “We will return these things,[x] and we will no longer demand anything from them. We will do just as you say.” Then I called the priests and made the wealthy and the officials[y] swear to do what had been promised.[z] 13 I also shook out my garment,[aa] and I said, “In this way may God shake out from his house and his property every person who does not carry out[ab] this matter. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!” All the assembly replied, “So be it!” and they praised the Lord. Then the people did as they had promised.[ac]

14 From the day that I was appointed[ad] governor[ae] in the land of Judah, that is, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes—twelve years in all—neither I nor my relatives[af] ate the food allotted to the governor.[ag] 15 But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to[ah] forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God. 16 I gave myself to the work on this wall, without even purchasing[ai] a field. All my associates were gathered there for the work.

17 There were 150 Jews and officials who dined with me routinely,[aj] in addition to those who came to us from the nations[ak] all around us. 18 Every day one ox, six select sheep, and some birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Despite all this I did not require the food allotted to the governor, for the work was demanding on this people.

19 Please remember me for good, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 5:1 tn Heb “their brothers the Jews.”
  2. Nehemiah 5:2 tn Heb “take” (so also in v. 3).
  3. Nehemiah 5:4 tn Heb “for the tax of the king.”
  4. Nehemiah 5:5 tn Heb “according to the flesh of our brothers is our flesh.”
  5. Nehemiah 5:5 tn Heb “like their children, our children.”
  6. Nehemiah 5:5 tn Heb “to become slaves” (also later in this verse).
  7. Nehemiah 5:5 tn Heb “there is not power for our hand.” The Hebrew expression used here is rather difficult.
  8. Nehemiah 5:5 sn The poor among the returned exiles were being exploited by their rich countrymen. Moneylenders were loaning large amounts of money, and not only collecting interest on loans which was illegal (Lev 25:36-37; Deut 23:19-20), but also seizing pledges as collateral (Neh 5:3) which was allowed (Deut 24:10). When the debtors missed a payment, the moneylenders would seize their collateral: their fields, vineyards and homes. With no other means of income, the debtors were forced to sell their children into slavery, a common practice at this time (Neh 5:5). Nehemiah himself was one of the moneylenders (Neh 5:10), but he insisted that seizure of collateral from fellow Jewish countrymen was ethically wrong (Neh 5:9).
  9. Nehemiah 5:6 tn Heb “words.”
  10. Nehemiah 5:7 tn Heb “my heart was advised upon me.”
  11. Nehemiah 5:7 tn Heb “nobles.”
  12. Nehemiah 5:7 tn Heb “taking a creditor’s debt.” The Hebrew noun מַשָּׁא (mashaʾ) means “interest; debt” and probably refers to the collateral (pledge) collected by a creditor (HALOT 641-42 s.v.). This particular noun form appears only in Nehemiah (5:7, 10; 10:32); however, it is related to מַשָּׁאָה (mashaʾah, “contractual loan; debt; collateral”) which appears elsewhere (Deut 24:10; Prov 22:26; cf. Neh 5:11). See the note on the word “people” at the end of v. 5. The BHS editors suggest emending the MT to מָשָׂא (masaʾ, “burden”), following several medieval Hebrew mss; however, the result is not entirely clear: “you are bearing a burden, a man with his brothers.”
  13. Nehemiah 5:7 tn Heb “his brothers.”
  14. Nehemiah 5:7 tn Heb “I gave.”
  15. Nehemiah 5:8 tn Heb “our brothers, the Jews.”
  16. Nehemiah 5:8 tn Heb “your brothers.”
  17. Nehemiah 5:9 tc The translation reads with the Qere and the ancient versions וָאוֹמַר (vaʾomar, “and I said”) rather than the MT Kethib, וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyoʾmer, “and he said”).
  18. Nehemiah 5:9 tn Heb “not good.” The statement “The thing…is not good” is an example of tapeinosis, a figurative expression which emphasizes the intended point (“The thing…is wrong!”) by negating its opposite.
  19. Nehemiah 5:9 tn Heb “[should you not] walk.”
  20. Nehemiah 5:10 tn Heb “brothers.”
  21. Nehemiah 5:10 tn Heb “servants.”
  22. Nehemiah 5:10 tn Heb “this debt.” This expression is a metonymy of association: “debt” refers to the seizure of the collateral of the debt.
  23. Nehemiah 5:11 tc The MT reads וּמְאַת (umeʾat, “and the hundredth”) which is somewhat enigmatic. The BHS editors suggest emending to וּמַשַּׁאת (umashaʾt, “and the debt”) which refers to the interest or collateral (pledge) seized by a creditor (Deut 24:10; Prov 22:26; see HALOT 641-42 s.v. מַשָּׁא). The term מַשַּׁאת (mashaʾt) is related to the noun מָשָּׁא (mashaʾ, “debt”) in 5:7, 10.
  24. Nehemiah 5:12 tn The words “these things” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  25. Nehemiah 5:12 tn Heb “took an oath from them”; the referents (the wealthy and the officials, cf. v. 7) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
  26. Nehemiah 5:12 tn Heb “according to this word.”
  27. Nehemiah 5:13 tn Heb “my bosom.”
  28. Nehemiah 5:13 tn Heb “cause to stand.”
  29. Nehemiah 5:13 tn Heb “according to this word.”
  30. Nehemiah 5:14 tc The BHS editors suggest reading צֻוֵּאתִי (tsuvveʾti, “and I was appointed”) rather than the reading of the MT, אֹתִי צִוָּה (tsivvah ʾoti, “he appointed me”).
  31. Nehemiah 5:14 tc The translation reads with one medieval Hebrew ms פֶּחָה (pekhah, “governor”) rather than פֶּחָם (pekham, “their governor”) of the MT. One would expect the form with pronominal suffix to have a tav (ת) before the suffix.
  32. Nehemiah 5:14 tn Heb “brothers.”
  33. Nehemiah 5:14 tn Heb “the food of the governor.” Cf. v. 18.
  34. Nehemiah 5:15 tc The Hebrew term אַחַר (ʾakhar) is difficult here. It normally means “after,” but that makes no sense here. Some scholars emend it to אַחַד (ʾakhad) and supply the word “day,” which yields the sense “daily.” Cf. TEV “40 silver coins a day for food and wine.”
  35. Nehemiah 5:16 tn Heb “we did not purchase.”
  36. Nehemiah 5:17 tn Heb “officials at my table.”
  37. Nehemiah 5:17 tn Or “from the Gentiles.” The same Hebrew word can refer to “the Gentiles” or “the nations.” Cf. the phrase in 6:16.
Next
Nehemiah 4
Nehemiah 6
Next
dropdown
Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Learn the Bible in 30 days
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV

New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.