Nehemiah 5: The cry of the people, and Nehemiah's twelve years as governor
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What happens?
A great cry rises from the people and their wives against their brothers the Jews: some say they have pledged their fields, vineyards and houses to get grain, or borrowed to pay the king's tribute, and that they are bringing their sons and daughters into bondage. Nehemiah is very angry, rebukes the nobles and rulers, tells them to give back what they have taken, and they promise. He calls the priests and has an oath taken, and shakes out his lap, and all the assembly says "Amen". He then tells how, as governor for twelve years, he and his brothers did not eat the governor's food, and he asks God to remember him.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Nehemiah tells it as "I". Verses 2 to 5 give the words of those who cried out, in three groups. Nehemiah speaks to the nobles and rulers in verses 7 to 11, they answer in verse 12, and Nehemiah speaks again in verse 13. The assembly says "Amen" in verse 13. In verses 14 to 18 Nehemiah tells about his time as governor, and verse 19 is his own prayer. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.
In plain English: Then a great cry of distress rose up from the people and their wives against their brothers, the Jews.
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2For there were some who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”
In plain English: There were some who said, "We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain so that we may eat and live."
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3There were also some who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine.”
In plain English: There were others who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine."
The Hebrew word: "Mortgaging" is arab, which the dictionary gives as "to braid, i.e. intermix; technically, to traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a kind of exchange)". It is in this verse only in Nehemiah, and the WEB says "mortgaging".
What changes: With "giving as security" the fields, vineyards and houses are pledged. With "trading" they are given in exchange for grain. The text says only that they are doing this to get grain in the famine.
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4There were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.
In plain English: There were others who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, using our fields and our vineyards as security (the Hebrew just names the fields and the vineyards).
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5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.”
In plain English: Yet now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, and our children are like their children. But look, we are bringing our sons and our daughters into slavery, to be servants (or: slaves), and there are some of our daughters brought into slavery. It is not in the power of our hand (or: not in our power to help it), and our fields and our vineyards belong to others."
Good to know: Verses 2 to 5 are the words of those who cried out, in three groups: those who say they are many and need grain, those who say they are mortgaging their land, and those who say they have borrowed for the king's tribute. They say they are bringing their own sons and daughters into slavery. Nehemiah's answer is in verse 6 and after.
The Hebrew word: "Bondage" is kabash, which the dictionary gives as "to tread down; hence, negatively, to disregard; positively, to conquer, subjugate, violate". It is in this verse only in Nehemiah (twice), and the WEB says "bondage" both times.
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6I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
In plain English: I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
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7Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, “You exact usury, everyone of his brother.” I held a great assembly against them.
In plain English: I thought it over (or: took counsel with myself), then I contended with the nobles and the rulers. I said to them, "You are lending at interest (usury), each one to his brother." I called a great assembly against them.
The Hebrew word: "Usury" is masha, which the dictionary gives as "a loan; by implication, interest on a debt". It is in 3 verses of Nehemiah, and the WEB says "usury" in 2 of them, here and .
How it is translated: "Consulted with myself" is a Hebrew phrase that reads "my heart took counsel" with the word malak, which the dictionary gives as "to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel". It is in this verse only in Nehemiah, and the WEB says "consulted".
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8I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say.
In plain English: I said to them, "As far as we were able, we have bought back (or: redeemed) our brothers the Jews who were sold (or: sold themselves) to the nations. Now would you even sell your brothers, so that they are sold to us?" They were silent and could not find a word to say.
The Hebrew word: "Redeemed" is qanah, which the dictionary gives as "to erect, i.e. create; by extension, to procure, especially by purchase (causatively, sell); by implication to own". It is in 2 verses of Nehemiah. The WEB says "redeemed" here and "buy" in .
What changes: With "redeemed" the Jews bought them back and freed them. With "bought" the same Hebrew word says only that they were bought. The text does not say what happened to them after.
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9Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?
In plain English: I also said, "What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach (or: taunting) of the nations, our enemies?
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10I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.
In plain English: I too, my brothers and my servants, are lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this interest.
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11Please restore to them, even today, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you are charging them.”
In plain English: Please give back to them today their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, and the hundredth part of the money, the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are charging them."
Good to know: "The hundredth part" is, in the Hebrew, "the hundred of" the money, grain, new wine and oil. The text does not say how often it was charged.
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12Then they said, “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them. We will do so, even as you say.” Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.
In plain English: Then they said, "We will give it back, and we will ask nothing from them. We will do just as you say." Then I called the priests and made them swear an oath to do as they had promised.
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13Also I shook out my lap, and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise; even may he be shaken out and emptied like this.” All the assembly said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh. The people did according to this promise.
In plain English: I also shook out my lap and said, "In the same way may God shake out of his house and out of his work every man who does not keep this promise. May he be shaken out and emptied like this." All the assembly said, "Amen," and praised Yahweh. And the people did as they had promised.
The Hebrew word: "Lap" is chotsen, which the dictionary gives as "the bosom (as comprised between the arms)". It is in this verse only in Nehemiah. The WEB says "lap". Nehemiah shakes it out as a sign of what he asks God to do to anyone who does not keep the promise.
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14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.
In plain English: From the day I was appointed their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, which is twelve years, I and my brothers did not eat the governor's food (literally: bread).
Good to know: The text gives its own numbers: from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, "that is, twelve years". It names no calendar date and none is added here.
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15But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people, but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.
In plain English: The earlier governors who were before me weighed heavily on the people. They took from them bread and wine, and after that (or: plus) forty shekels of silver. Even their servants ruled harshly over the people. But I did not do this, because of the fear of God.
The Hebrew word: "Plus" is achar, the word for "after" or "behind", which the dictionary gives as "properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)". It is in 22 verses of Nehemiah, and the WEB says "after" in 17 and "plus" in 1, this one.
What changes: With "plus" the forty shekels were taken on top of the bread and wine. With "after" they were taken after the bread and wine. The text gives the forty shekels of silver and does not say for what length of time.
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16Yes, I also continued in the work of this wall. We didn’t buy any land. All my servants were gathered there to the work.
In plain English: I also held on to the work on this wall. We did not buy any field. All my servants were gathered there for the work.
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17Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty men, in addition to those who came to us from among the nations that were around us.
In plain English: There were at my table 150 men, Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us.
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18Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine. Yet for all this, I didn’t demand the governor’s pay, because the bondage was heavy on this people.
In plain English: What was prepared for one day was one ox and six chosen sheep. Birds were also prepared for me, and every ten days a large supply of all kinds of wine. Even so, I did not ask for the governor's food, because the service (or: bondage) was heavy on this people.
The Hebrew word: "Bondage" here is avodah, which the dictionary gives as "work of any kind". It is in 4 verses of Nehemiah. The WEB says "bondage" in 1 of them, this one, and "service" in 1.
What changes: With "service" or "work" the weight on the people is the labor they owed. With "bondage" it is the same labor seen as slavery. The text says it was heavy on the people.
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19Remember me, my God, for all the good that I have done for this people.
In plain English: Remember me, my God, for good, for all that I have done for this people.
Good to know: This is Nehemiah's own prayer. He asks God to remember him for good, for what he has done for the people. He asks God to remember him again in and , and in with the words "for good".
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