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Nehemiah
Chapter Five
New King James Version
(NKJV)
Nehemiah 5:1. And there was a great outcry of the people
and their wives against their Jewish brethren.
YLT And there is a great cry
of the people and their wives
concerning their brethren the Jews
And there was a
great cry of the people
and of their wives
....
Those of the poorer sort:
against their
brethren the Jews;
the rich that oppressed
them; and this cry or complaint was made to Nehemiah for redress.
Nehemiah 5:2. 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.”
YLT yea
there are who are
saying
`Our sons
and our daughters
we -- are many
and we receive corn
and
eat
and live.'
For there were
that said
we
our sons
and our daughters
are many
....
Not that they complained
of the number of their children
for a numerous offspring was always reckoned a
blessing with the Jews; but this they observed to show that their families
being large
required a considerable quantity of food to support them:
therefore we
take up corn for them
that we may eat and live;
that is
they were obliged
to take it at an exorbitant price
which is the thing complained of; or
otherwise they must starve
the rich taking the advantage of their poverty and
present dearth.
Nehemiah 5:3.
There were also some who said
“We have mortgaged our lands
and vineyards and houses
that we might buy grain because of the famine.”
YLT And there are who are
saying
`Our fields
and our vineyards
and our houses
we are pledging
and we
receive corn for the famine.'
Some also there
were that said
we have mortgaged our lands
vineyards
and houses
....
Made them over to others
put them into their hands as pledges for money received of them:
that we may buy
corn;
for the support of their
families:
because of the
dearth;
or famine; which might be
occasioned by their enemies lying in wait and intercepting all provisions that
might be brought to them; for this seems not to be the famine spoken of in Haggai 1:10 for
that was some years before this
and for a reason which now was not.
Nehemiah 5:4.
There were also those who said
“We have borrowed money for the
king’s tax on our lands and vineyards.
YLT And there are who are
saying
`We have borrowed money for the tribute of the king
[on] our fields
and our vineyards;
There were also
that said
....
Who though they were able
to buy corn for their families without mortgaging their estates: yet
say they:
we have
borrowed money for the king's tribute
and that upon our lands and vineyards;
for though the priests
Levites
and Nethinims
were exempted from it
yet not the people in common;
and some of these were so poor
that they could not pay it without borrowing
upon their estates
and paying large usury for it
see Ezra 6:8
Nehemiah 5:5.
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren
our
children as their children; and indeed we 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.”
YLT and now
as the flesh of
our brethren [is] our flesh
as their sons [are] our sons
and lo
we are
subduing our sons and our daughters for servants
and there are of our
daughters subdued
and our hand hath no might
and our fields and our vineyards
[are] to others.'
Yet now our
flesh is as the flesh of our brethren
....
We are of the same nature
nation
stock
and religion: our children as their children; are circumcised as
they
and have a right to the same privileges in church and state:
and
lo
we
bring into bondage our sons and daughters to be servants;
shall be obliged to it
unless relieved:
and some of our
daughters are brought into bondage already;
sold to be servants
as
they might in case of the poverty of parents
Exodus 21:7
and
some were sometimes taken to be bondmen in payment of their parents' debts
2 Kings 4:1
neither is it
in our power to redeem them
for other men have our lands and vineyards;
as pledges for money
borrowed.
Nehemiah 5:6.
And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.
YLT And it is very
displeasing to me when I have heard their cry and these words
And I was very
angry when I heard their cry
and these words.
Their complaint expressed
in this manner; it not only raised pity and compassion in his breast towards
these poor distressed people
but indignation at the rich that oppressed them.
Nehemiah 5:7.
After serious thought
I rebuked the nobles and rulers
and said
to them
“Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great
assembly against them.
YLT and my heart reigneth
over me
and I strive with the freemen
and with the prefects
and say to them
`Usury one upon another ye are exacting;' and I set against them a great
assembly
Then I
consulted with myself
....
What was to be done
what
method to be taken to redress such grievances:
and I rebuked
the nobles and the rulers;
who were the men that
monopolized the corn in this dear season
and sold it at an extravagant price
and had got the lands
vineyards
and houses of the poor mortgaged to them
and
to whom they had lent money on usury:
and said unto
them
you exact usury everyone of his brother;
which was contrary to the
express law of God
Exodus 22:25 and
which even the IndiansF8Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 4. c. 1. strictly
observed
who neither let out money
nor took any upon usury:
and I set a
great assembly against them;
either of the poor that
were oppressed
who brought in their accusations and complaints against them
or a large body of the people
who were not guilty
to hear them
that the
delinquents might be put to public shame; or he called a large court of
judicature
and set them to examine these allegations
and to do justice.
Nehemiah 5:8.
And I said to them
“According to our ability we have 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.
YLT and say to them
`We
have acquired our brethren the Jews
those sold to the nations
according to
the ability that [is] in us
and ye also sell your brethren
and they have been
sold to us!' and they are silent
and have not found a word.
And I said unto
them
....
The nobles
and rulers
and other rich persons that exacted usury of the poor:
we after our
ability;
speaking of himself in the
plural number
which now obtained in the court of Persia; or of Zerubbabel
Ezra
and others
who
according as their worldly circumstances
having been
captives
would admit of:
have redeemed
our brethren the Jews
which were sold unto the Heathen;
not that they had given a
ransom for them to Cyrus
or any other king of Persia
which would be contrary
to the prophecies concerning their redemption
Isaiah 45:13 but
such who had sold themselves to particular persons in Babylon
who
without
being redeemed
could not take the advantage of the liberty granted by Cyrus
and his successors; and it may be there were others also in the like
circumstances
in other neighbouring nations
that had been redeemed this way.
The Jewish canonF9Misn. Gittin
c. 4. sect. 9. now is
he that sells
himself
and his children
to Gentiles
they do not redeem; but they redeem the
children after their father's death; which the commentatorsF11Maimon.
& Bartenora in ib. explain of the third time that he sells himself:
and will you
even sell your brethren?
their lands and vineyards
mortgaged to them
and even their persons:
or shall they
be sold unto us?
must we be obliged to buy
them
and to redeem them:
then they held
their peace
and found nothing to answer;
being convinced they had
done wrong
by the arguments used
to which they could make no reply.
Nehemiah 5:9.
Then I said
“What you are doing is not good. Should you
not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations
our
enemies?
YLT And I say
`Not good
[is] the thing that ye are doing; in the fear of our God do ye not walk
because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
Also I said
it
is not good that ye do
....
The meaning is
that it
was very bad; it is a "meiosis"
by which more is intended than is
expressed:
ought ye not to
walk in the fear of our God;
in reverence of him and
his law
and according to that:
because of the
reproach of the Heathen our enemies?
whose mouths will be open
to reproach the true religion
and the good ways of God; and say
these are the
men that pretend to fear God
and serve him
and yet break his law
and use
their brethren ill
see Romans 2:24.
Nehemiah 5:10.
I also
with my brethren and my servants
am lending them
money and grain. Please
let us stop this usury!
YLT And also
I
my
brethren
and my servants
are exacting of them silver and corn; let us leave
off
I pray you
this usury.
I likewise
and
my brethren
and my servants
might exact of them money and corn
....
For our maintenance
in
consideration of the services done by us
which would appear but reasonable
but this we decline for the sake of easing our poor brethren:
I pray you let
us leave off this usury;
and not exact it
as has
been too much and too long used.
Nehemiah 5:11. 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.”
YLT Give back
I pray you
to them
as to-day
their fields
their vineyards
their olive-yards
and their
houses
and the hundredth [part] of the money
and of the corn
of the new
wine
and of the oil
that ye are exacting of them.'
Restore
I pray
you
even this day
their lands
their vineyards
their oliveyards
and their
houses
....
Which they had made over
to them for corn they had had
or money they borrowed of them; it is entreated
that an immediate restitution be made
and the rather
if what Aben Ezra
observes is true
that this was the year of release
when debts were not to be
exacted
but forgiven
Deuteronomy 15:1
also the
hundredth part of the money
and of the corn
the wine
and the oil
that ye
exact of them;
the hundredth part of the money might be
what they took for usury
as the Romans did in later times
even so much a
month; so that if the loan was one hundred pounds
a pound was given every
month for it
and so one hundred and twelve pounds in the year; and the
hundredth part of the corn
wine
and oil
might be the hundredth part of those
fruits of the earth which the rulers demanded for their salary
see Nehemiah 5:15.
Nehemiah 5:12.
So they said
“We will restore it
and will require nothing
from them; we will do as you say.” Then I called the priests
and required an
oath from them that they would do according to this promise.
YLT And they say
`We give
back
and of them we seek nothing; so we do as thou art saying.' And I call the
priests
and cause them to swear to do according to this thing;
Then said they
we will restore them
....
The lands
vineyards
oliveyards
and houses:
and will
require nothing of them;
not the hundredth part of
the fruits of the earth by way of salary:
so will we do
as thou sayest;
they approved of his
proposal
and readily agreed to it:
then I called
the priests
and took an oath of them that they should do according to this
promise;
not that the priests were
delinquents
they were not charged with anything of this kind
nor were they
the men that promised restitution; but the priests were called to administer
the oath to the nobles
and rulers
and rich men
to oblige them the more to
keep their word; an oath being sacred
priests in an holy office were made use
of to give it
that it might be the more solemn
and the more strictly
regarded.
Nehemiah 5:13.
Then I shook out the fold of my garment[a] 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. Then the
people did according to this promise.
YLT also
my lap I have
shaken
and I say
`Thus doth God shake out every man
who doth not perform
this thing
from his house
and from his labour; yea
thus is he shaken out and
empty;' and all the assembly say
`Amen
' and praise Jehovah; and the people do
according to this thing.
Also I shook my
lap
....
The fore skirts of his
garment
shaking the dust out of them
as a symbol of what follows; a like rite
was used in the case of peace and war
the choice of either
by the Romans
as
proposed by their ambassadors to the Carthaginians
as having either in their
bosom to shake outF12Florus
l. 2. c. 6. Liv. l. 21. c. l8. :
and said
so
God shake out every man from his house
and from his labour;
what he has got by his
labour:
that performeth
not his promise;
confirmed by an oath:
even thus be he
shaken out
and emptied;
of all that he has in the
world
and out of the world too
as Jarchi adds:
and all the
congregation said
Amen;
so let it be
even those
that had taken pledges and usury
as well as others:
and praised the
Lord;
that had given them such a
governor to direct
advise
and exhort them to their duty
and had inclined
their hearts to attend thereunto:
and the people
did according to this promise;
they punctually kept it
and the oath they had sworn.
Nehemiah 5:14.
Moreover
from the time that I was appointed to be their governor
in the land of Judah
from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of
King Artaxerxes
twelve years
neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s
provisions.
YLT Also
from the day that
he appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah
from the twentieth
year even unto the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes the king -- twelve
years -- I
and my brethren
the bread of the governor have not eaten:
Moreover
from
the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah
....
That is
by the king of
Persia
which was not done when he was first sent into Judea; but very probably
when he had finished the wall in fifty two days
he returned to Persia
and
gave the king an account of his success
and how things stood in those parts
when he judged it necessary to send him again in the character of a governor
and which was still within the same year
as follows: from the twentieth year
even unto the thirty second year of Artaxerxes
that is
twelve years; see Nehemiah 13:6.
I and my
brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor;
which was fit and proper
for him
and used to be given him; neither he
nor those that assisted him in
the government
the principal men he brought along with him
and put into posts
and places under him.
Nehemiah 5:15.
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 I did not do so
because of the fear of God.
YLT the former governors who
[are] before me have made themselves heavy on the people
and take of them in
bread and wine
besides in silver forty shekels; also
their servants have
ruled over the people -- and I have not done so
because of the fear of God.
But the former
governors
that had been before me
were chargeable to the people
....
Between him and
Zerubbabel
for Ezra was no governor; according to the Jewish chronologyF13Seder
Olam Zuta
p. 108
109.
when Ezra came to Jerusalem
Zerubbabel returned to
Babylon
and there died
and his son Methullam was in his stead
and after him
succeeded Hananiah his son:
and had taken
of them bread and wine
besides forty shekels of silver;
which amounted to between
four and five pounds
and this they had every day:
yea
even their
servants bare rule over the people; required a salary
or at
least perquisites of them
which the governors connived at:
but so did not
I
because of the fear of God;
neither took anything
himself of the people
nor suffered his servants; because the fear of God was
upon his heart
and before his eyes
and therefore could not allow himself to
oppress the poor.
Nehemiah 5:16.
Indeed
I also continued the work on this wall
and we[b] did not
buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work.
YLT And also
in the work of
this wall I have done mightily
even a field we have not bought
and all my
servants are gathered there for the work;
Yea
also I
continued in the work of this wall
....
Of building the wall of
Jerusalem; here he gave his constant attendance to direct and encourage the
workmen
and see that they kept to their work
and did it well:
neither bought
we any land;
neither he nor the
principal men with him
though they could have bought it cheap
but they chose
not to take the advantage of the poverty of the people:
and all my
servants were gathered thither unto the work:
all were employed in it
taking no wages for their work
being maintained at his expense.
Nehemiah 5:17.
And at my table were one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers
besides those who came to us from the nations around us.
YLT and of the Jews
and of
the prefects
a hundred and fifty men
and those coming in unto us of the
nations that [are] round about us
[are] at my table;
Moreover
there
were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers
....
Every day at his own cost
which must be considerable to provide for such a number
and of such rank:
besides those
that came unto us from among the Heathen that are about us;
who were proselytes
and
came thither to worship
or on a civil account
to give intelligence
and take
directions.
Nehemiah 5:18.
Now that 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 I did not demand the
governor’s provisions
because the bondage was heavy on this people.
YLT and that which hath been
prepared for one day [is] one ox
six fat sheep
also fowls have been prepared
for me
and once in ten days of all wines abundantly
and with this
the bread
of the governor I have not sought
for heavy is the service on this people.
Now that which
was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep
....
Or fat ones; of beef and
mutton a considerable quantity
abundantly sufficient for his guests and
servants
and shows what a good table he kept:
also fowls were
prepared for me;
what number is not said:
and once in ten
days store of all sorts of wine;
the country afforded; that
is
either once in ten days his stock of wine was renewed
or a more liberal
entertainment was made
a banquet of wine
Esther 5:6
yet for all
this required not I the bread of the governor;
the salary that used to be
given him
but did this at his own expense
out of his own estate in Judea; or
what he had got by his office as cupbearer to the king of Persia
the salary of
which perhaps was continued:
because the
bondage was heavy upon the people;
the tribute of the king of
Persia
and their labour and expense in building the walls of the city.
Nehemiah 5:19.
Remember me
my God
for good
according to all that I have
done for this people.
YLT Remember for me
O my
God
for good
all that I have done for this people.
Think upon me
my God
for good
according to all that I have done for this people.
He expected not any
recompence from the people
but from the Lord; and from him not in a way of
merit
but of grace and good will
who forgets not what is done for his name's
sake
Hebrews 6:10.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New
King James Version (NKJV)
a.
Nehemiah 5:13
Literally my lap
b.
Nehemiah 5:16
Following Masoretic Text; Septuagint
Syriac
and Vulgate read I.