Nehemiah 5 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible
Nehemiah 5 (WEBP)
[1] Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.
[2] For there were some who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”
[3] There were also some who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine.”
[4] There were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.
[5] Yet 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.”
[6] I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
[7] Then 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.
[8] I 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.
[9] Also 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?
[10] I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.
[11] Please 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.”
[12] Then 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.
[13] Also 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.
[14] Moreover 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.
[15] But 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.
[16] Yes, I also continued in the work of this wall. We didn’t buy any land. All my servants were gathered there to the work.
[17] Moreover 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.
[18] Now 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.
[19] Remember me, my God, for all the good that I have done for this people.
Nehemiah 5:5 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
Nehemiah 5:15 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.
Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.
King James w/Strong’s #s
Nehemiah 5 (KJVS)
[1] And there was a great H1419 cry H6818 of the people H5971 and of their wives H802 against their brethren H251 the Jews H3064.
[2] For there were H3426 that said H559 (8802), We, our sons H1121, and our daughters H1323, [are] many H7227: therefore we take up H3947 (8799) corn H1715 [for them], that we may eat H398 (8799), and live H2421 (8799).
[3] [Some] also there were H3426 that said H559 (8802), We have mortgaged H6148 (8802) our lands H7704, vineyards H3754, and houses H1004, that we might buy H3947 (8799) corn H1715, because of the dearth H7458.
[4] There were H3426 also that said H559 (8802), We have borrowed H3867 (8804) money H3701 for the king’s H4428 tribute H4060, [and that upon] our lands H7704 and vineyards H3754.
[5] Yet now our flesh H1320 [is] as the flesh H1320 of our brethren H251, our children H1121 as their children H1121: and, lo, we bring into bondage H3533 (8802) our sons H1121 and our daughters H1323 to be servants H5650, and [some] of our daughters H1323 are H3426 brought unto bondage H3533 (8737) [already]: neither [is it] in our power H410 H3027 [to redeem them]; for other men H312 have our lands H7704 and vineyards H3754.
[6] And I was very H3966 angry H2734 (8799) when I heard H8085 (8804) their cry H2201 and these words H1697.
[7] Then I consulted H4427 (8735) with myself H3820, and I rebuked H7378 (8799) the nobles H2715, and the rulers H5461, and said H559 (8799) unto them, Ye exact H5378 (8801) (8678) H5383 (8802) (8675) H5375 (8802) usury H4855, every one H376 of his brother H251. And I set H5414 (8799) a great H1419 assembly H6952 against them.
[8] And I said H559 (8799) unto them, We after our ability H1767 have redeemed H7069 (8804) our brethren H251 the Jews H3064, which were sold H4376 (8737) unto the heathen H1471; and will ye even sell H4376 (8799) your brethren H251? or shall they be sold H4376 (8738) unto us? Then held they their peace H2790 (8686), and found H4672 (8804) nothing H1697 [to answer].
[9] Also I said H559 (8799), It [is] not good H2896 that H1697 ye do H6213 (8802): ought ye not to walk H3212 (8799) in the fear H3374 of our God H430 because of the reproach H2781 of the heathen H1471 our enemies H341 (8802)?
[10] I likewise, [and] my brethren H251, and my servants H5288, might exact H5383 (8802) of them money H3701 and corn H1715: I pray you, let us leave off H5800 (8799) this usury H4855.
[11] Restore H7725 (8685), I pray you, to them, even this day H3117, their lands H7704, their vineyards H3754, their oliveyards H2132, and their houses H1004, also the hundredth H3967 [part] of the money H3701, and of the corn H1715, the wine H8492, and the oil H3323, that ye exact H5383 (8802) of them.
[12] Then said H559 (8799) they, We will restore H7725 (8686) [them], and will require H1245 (8762) nothing of them; so will we do H6213 (8799) as thou sayest H559 (8802). Then I called H7121 (8799) the priests H3548, and took an oath H7650 (8686) of them, that they should do H6213 (8800) according to this promise H1697.
[13] Also I shook H5287 (8804) my lap H2684, and said H559 (8799), So God H430 shake out H5287 (8762) every man H376 from his house H1004, and from his labour H3018, that performeth H6965 (8686) not this promise H1697, even thus be he shaken out H5287 (8803), and emptied H7386. And all the congregation H6951 said H559 (8799), Amen H543, and praised H1984 (8762) the LORD H3068. And the people H5971 did H6213 (8799) according to this promise H1697.
[14] Moreover from the time H3117 that I was appointed H6680 (8765) to be their governor H6346 in the land H776 of Judah H3063, from the twentieth H6242 year H8141 even unto the two H8147 and thirtieth H7970 year H8141 of Artaxerxes H783 the king H4428, [that is], twelve H8147 H6240 years H8141, I and my brethren H251 have not eaten H398 (8804) the bread H3899 of the governor H6346.
[15] But the former H7223 governors H6346 that [had been] before H6440 me were chargeable H3513 (8689) unto the people H5971, and had taken H3947 (8799) of them bread H3899 and wine H3196, beside H310 forty H705 shekels H8255 of silver H3701; yea, even H1571 their servants H5288 bare rule H7980 (8804) over the people H5971: but so did H6213 (8804) not I, because H6440 of the fear H3374 of God H430.
[16] Yea, also I continued H2388 (8689) in the work H4399 of this wall H2346, neither bought H7069 (8804) we any land H7704: and all my servants H5288 [were] gathered H6908 (8803) thither unto the work H4399.
[17] Moreover [there were] at my table H7979 an hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 H376 of the Jews H3064 and rulers H5461, beside those that came H935 (8802) unto us from among the heathen H1471 that [are] about us H5439.
[18] Now [that] which was prepared H6213 (8737) [for me] daily H3117 [was] one H259 ox H7794 [and] six H8337 choice H1305 (8803) sheep H6629; also fowls H6833 were prepared H6213 (8738) for me, and once in ten H6235 days H3117 store H7235 (8687) of all sorts of wine H3196: yet for all H5973 this required H1245 (8765) not I the bread H3899 of the governor H6346, because the bondage H5656 was heavy H3513 (8804) upon this people H5971.
[19] Think H2142 (8798) upon me, my God H430, for good H2896, [according] to all that I have done H6213 (8804) for this people H5971.
Young’s Literal Translation
Nehemiah 5 (YLT)
[1] And there is a great cry of the people and their wives, concerning their brethren the Jews,
[2] yea, there are who are saying, ‘Our sons, and our daughters, we-are many, and we receive corn, and eat, and live.’
[3] And there are who are saying, ‘Our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses, we are pledging, and we receive corn for the famine.’
[4] And there are who are saying, ‘We have borrowed money for the tribute of the king, on our fields, and our vineyards;
[5] 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.’
[6] And it is very displeasing to me when I have heard their cry and these words,
[7] 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,
[8] 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.
[9] 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?
[10] And also, I, my brethren, and my servants, are exacting of them silver and corn; let us leave off, I pray you, this usury.
[11] 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.’
[12] 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;
[13] 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.
[14] 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:
[15] 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.
[16] 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;
[17] 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;
[18] 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.
[19] Remember for me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.