Nehemiah 5:15

Nehemiah 5:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
• New International Version (NIV)But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Nehemiah 5:15

13I also shook out the front of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not keep this promise; like this may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the Lord. Then the people acted in accordance with this promise. 14Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my relatives have eaten the governor’s food allowance. But the former governors who were [in office] before me put heavy burdens on the people and took food and wine from them in addition to forty shekels of silver [as an excessive monthly salary]; even their servants assumed authority over the people. But I did not do so because of the [reverent] fear of God. 16I also applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered together there for the work. 17Moreover, there were at my table a hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.

Nehemiah 5:15 word by word

וְהַפַּחוֹת֩ הָרִאשֹׁנִ֨ים אֲשֶׁר־לְפָנַ֜י הִכְבִּ֣ידוּ עַל־הָעָ֗ם וַיִּקְח֨וּ מֵהֶ֜ם בְּלֶ֤חֶם וָיַ֙יִן֙ אַחַר֙ כֶּֽסֶף־שְׁקָלִ֣ים אַרְבָּעִ֔ים גַּ֥ם נַעֲרֵיהֶ֖ם שָׁלְט֣וּ עַל־הָעָ֑ם וַאֲנִי֙ לֹא־עָשִׂ֣יתִי כֵ֔ן מִפְּנֵ֖י יִרְאַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But the formerרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · first: previousH7223
• governorsפֶּחָהpechâh · governorH6346
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• me were chargeableכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: heavyH3513
• unto the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• and had takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• of them breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: allowanceH3899
• and wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• besideאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• fortyאַרְבָּעִים'arbâ‛îym · fortyH705
• shekelsשֶׁ֫קֶלsheqel · shekelH8255
• of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• yea, evenגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• their servantsנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• bare ruleשָׁלַטshâlaţ · to domineerH7980
• but so didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• not I, becauseפָּנֶהpânîym · face: becauseH6440
• of the fearיִרְאָהyir'âh · fearH3374
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:15

• 1 Samuel 2:15Also, before they burned (offered) the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest meat to roast, since he will not accept boiled meat from you, only raw.”
• 1 Samuel 8:15He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.
• Proverbs 29:12If a ruler pays attention to lies [and encourages corruption], All his officials will become wicked.
• Matthew 5:47And if you greet only your brothers [wishing them God’s blessing and peace], what more [than others] are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles [who do not know the Lord] do that?
• 2 Corinthians 11:9And when I was with you and ran short [financially], I did not burden any of you; for what I needed was fully supplied by the brothers (Silas and Timothy) who came from Macedonia (the church at Philippi). So I kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
• 2 Corinthians 12:13For in what respect were you treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except [for the fact] that I did not burden you [with my financial support]? Forgive me [for doing you] this injustice!
• Nehemiah 5:9So I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunting by the [pagan] nations, our enemies?
• Job 31:23For tragedy from God is a terror to me, And because of His majesty and exaltation I can do nothing [nor endure facing Him].
• Psalms 112:1Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with obedience], Who delights greatly in His commandments.
• Psalms 147:11The Lord favors those who fear and worship Him [with awe-inspired reverence and obedience], Those who wait for His mercy and lovingkindness.
• Proverbs 16:6By mercy and lovingkindness and truth [not superficial ritual] wickedness is cleansed from the heart, And by the fear of the Lord one avoids evil.
• Ecclesiastes 12:13When all has been heard, the end of the matter is: fear God [worship Him with awe-filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God] and keep His commandments, for this applies to every person.
• Isaiah 50:10Who is among you who fears the Lord, Who obeys the voice of His Servant, Yet who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust and be confident in the name of the Lord and let him rely on his God.
• Luke 18:2saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and had no respect for man.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:15

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Forty shekels of silver - A daily sum from the entire province. For such a table as that kept by Nehemiah Nehemiah 5:18, this would be a very moderate payment.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-19Verses 14-19 Those who truly fear God, will not dare to do any thing cruel or unjust. Let all who are in public places remember that they are so placed to do good, not to enrich themselves. Nehemiah mentions it to God in prayer, not as if he had merited any favour from God, but to show that he depended upon God only, to make up to him what he had lost and laid out for his honour. Nehemiah evidently spake and acted as one that knew himself to be a sinner…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15The former governors were likely Nehemiah’s immediate predecessors, not Sheshbazzar (Ezra 1:8, around 90 years earlier) or Zerubbabel (Haggai 1:1, around 80 years earlier).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. the former governors ... had taken ... bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver--The income of Eastern governors is paid partly in produce, partly in money. "Bread" means all sorts of provision. The forty shekels of silver per day would amount to a yearly salary of £1800 sterling.Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 5:15

• Civil Service
• Conscience
• Country
• Example
• Fear of God
• Integrity
• Kindness
• Love
• Unselfishness

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jubilee
• Shake
• Charge; Chargeable
• Malachi
• Money
• Tax; Taxing
• Versions, Georgian, Gothic, Slavonic
• Taxes

Commentaries on Nehemiah 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings