American Standard Version
Nehemiah 5:9
9Also I said, The thing that ye do is not good: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
Nehemiah 5:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
- New International Version (NIV)So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?
- English Standard Version (ESV)So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?
- New King James Version (NKJV)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?
Context of Nehemiah 5:9
7Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I held a great assembly against them. 8And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, that were sold unto the nations; and would ye even sell your brethren, and should they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found never a word. Also I said, The thing that ye do is not good: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies? 10And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, do lend them money and grain. I pray you, let us leave off this usury. 11Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
Read all of Nehemiah 5Nehemiah 5:9 word by word
וָאוֹמַ֕ר לֹא־ט֥וֹב הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֑ים הֲל֞וֹא בְּיִרְאַ֤ת אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ תֵּלֵ֔כוּ מֵחֶרְפַּ֖ת הַגּוֹיִ֥ם אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:9
- 1 Samuel 2:24Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make Jehovah’s people to transgress.
- Proverbs 16:29A man of violence enticeth his neighbor, And leadeth him in a way that is not good.
- Proverbs 17:26Also to punish the righteous is not good, Norto smite the noble fortheiruprightness.
- Proverbs 18:5To respect the person of the wicked is not good, Norto turn aside the righteous in judgment.
- Proverbs 19:2Also, that the soul be without knowledge is not good; And he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
- Proverbs 24:23These also aresayingsof the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
- Nehemiah 5:15But the former governors that were before me were chargeable unto the people, and took of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
- Genesis 20:11And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
- Genesis 42:18And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
- Leviticus 25:36Take thou no interest of him or increase, but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.
- Acts 9:31So the church throughout all Judæa and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied.
- Genesis 13:7And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land.
- 2 Samuel 12:14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of Jehovah to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
- Ezekiel 36:20And when they came unto the nations, whither they went, they profaned my holy name; in that men said of them, These are the people of Jehovah, and are gone forth out of his land.
- Romans 2:24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it is written.
- 1 Timothy 5:14I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, give no occasion to the adversary for reviling:
Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God - If ye wish to accredit that religion ye profess which comes from the God of justice and mercy; should you not, in the sight of the heathen, abstain from injustice and cruelty? Can they credit your profession, when they see such practices? The inconsistent conduct of some professors of religion does much harm in the Church of God.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-13Verses 6-13 Nehemiah knew that, if he built Jerusalem's walls ever so high, so thick, or so strong, the city could not be safe while there were abuses. The right way to reform men's lives, is to convince their consciences. If you walk in the fear of God, you will not be either covetous of worldly gain, or cruel toward your brethren. Nothing exposes religion more to reproach, than the worldliness and hard-heartedness of the professors of it. Those that…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9walk in the fear of our God: See Leviticus 25:35–43. avoid the reproach: See also Nehemiah 1:3; 2:19; 4:1–3.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-196-12. I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words--When such disorders came to the knowledge of the governor, his honest indignation was roused against the perpetrators of the evil. Having summoned a public assembly, he denounced their conduct in terms of just severity. He contrasted it with his own in redeeming with his money some of the Jewish exiles who, through debt or otherwise, had lost their personal liberty in Babylon. He urged the…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 5:9
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries