Nehemiah 5:4

Nehemiah 5:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
• New International Version (NIV)Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And there were those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards.
• New King James Version (NKJV)There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards.

Context of Nehemiah 5:4

2Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.” 3Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.” Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.” 6When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,

Nehemiah 5:4 word by word

וְיֵשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֹמְרִ֔ים לָוִ֥ינוּ כֶ֖סֶף לְמִדַּ֣ת הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ שְׂדֹתֵ֖ינוּ וּכְרָמֵֽינוּ׃Read the interlinear

• ·יֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• Still othersאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• were sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• We have borrowedלָוָהlâvâh · to borrowH3867
• moneyכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• taxמִדָּהmiddâh · tributeH4060
• our fieldsשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
• and vineyardsכֶּרֶםkerem · vineyardH3754

Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:4

• Nehemiah 9:37Its abundant harvest goes to the kings You have set over us because of our sins. And they rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.
• Deuteronomy 28:47Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart in all your abundance,
• Joshua 16:10But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer. So the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day, but they are forced laborers.
• 1 Kings 9:21their descendants who remained in the land, those whom the Israelites were unable to devote to destruction—Solomon conscripted these people to be forced laborers, as they are to this day.
• Ezra 4:13Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4We have borrowed money - This should be read, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute on our lands and vineyards. They had a tax to pay to the Persian king in token of their subjection to him, and though it is not likely it was heavy, yet they were not able to pay it.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The king‘s tribute - The tax payable to the Persian monarch (compare Ezra 4:13; Esther 10:1). In ancient times, heavy taxation was often productive of debt and distress.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4pay the king’s tax: Despite the famine, the Persians did not cancel the heavy royal taxes due at harvest time.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 5:4

• Borrowing
• Country
• Covetousness
• Creditor
• Debt
• Debtor
• Interest
• Land
• Lending
• Money
• Poor
• Repentance
• Rich, the
• Tax
• Usury

In the dictionaries

• Jubilee
• Shake
• Lend, Loan
• Malachi
• Poverty
• Salvation
• Surety
• Tax; Taxing
• Toll
• Tribute

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