Amplified Bible
Nehemiah 5:2
2For there were some who were saying, “We, along with our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore allow us to get grain, so that we may eat and survive.”
Nehemiah 5:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
- New International Version (NIV)Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive."
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.”
Context of Nehemiah 5:2
1Now there was a great outcry of the [poorer] people and their wives against their Jewish brothers [to whom they were deeply in debt]. For there were some who were saying, “We, along with our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore allow us to get grain, so that we may eat and survive.” 3There were others who were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to buy grain because of the famine.” 4There were also others who were saying, “We have borrowed money on our fields and vineyards for the [Persian] king’s [heavy] tax.
Read all of Nehemiah 5Nehemiah 5:2 word by word
וְיֵשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֹמְרִ֔ים בָּנֵ֥ינוּ וּבְנֹתֵ֖ינוּ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ רַבִּ֑ים וְנִקְחָ֥ה דָגָ֖ן וְנֹאכְלָ֥ה וְנִחְיֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For there wereיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- that saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- We, our sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- and our daughtersבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- manyרַבrab · manyH7227
- therefore we take upלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- cornדָּגָןdâgân · grainH1715
- that we may eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- and liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:2
- Psalms 127:3Behold, children are a heritage and gift from the Lord, The fruit of the womb a reward.
- Psalms 128:2For you shall eat the fruit of [the labor of] your hands, You will be happy and blessed and it will be well with you.
- Malachi 2:2If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to honor My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings [on the people]. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.
- Genesis 41:57And [the people of] all countries came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the [known] earth.
- Genesis 42:2He said, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy [some] grain for us, so that we may live and not die [of starvation].”
- Genesis 43:8Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the young man with me and we will get up and go [buy food], so that we may live and not die [of starvation], we as well as you and our little ones.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2We, our sons, and our daughters, are many - Our families are larger than we can provide for; we are obliged to go in debt; and our richer brethren take advantage of our necessitous situation, and oppress us. The details which are given in the next verse are sufficiently plain.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Are many - A slight emendation brings this verse into exact parallelism with the next, and gives the sense - “We have pledged our sons and our daughters, that we might get corn, and eat and live.” Compare Nehemiah 5:5.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Some farmers stopped growing crops to help build the wall. This left their large families needing food. Someone had to feed their families, or the farmers would stop working on the wall and return to their fields.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-51-5. there was a great cry of the people ... against their brethren--Such a crisis in the condition of the Jews in Jerusalem--fatigued with hard labor and harassed by the machinations of restless enemies, the majority of them poor, and the bright visions which hope had painted of pure happiness on their return to the land of their fathers being unrealized--must have been very trying to their faith and patience. But, in addition to these vexatious…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 5:2
In the dictionaries
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
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