Berean Standard Bible
Nehemiah 5:8
8and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!”
But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.
Nehemiah 5:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
- New International Version (NIV)and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and said to them, "We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!" They were silent and could not find a word to say.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?” Then they were silenced and found nothing to say.
Context of Nehemiah 5:8
6When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry, 7and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say. 9So 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 foreign enemies? 10I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury.
Read all of Nehemiah 5Nehemiah 5:8 word by word
וָאֹמְרָ֣ה לָהֶ֗ם אֲנַ֣חְנוּ קָ֠נִינוּ אֶת־אַחֵ֨ינוּ הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַנִּמְכָּרִ֤ים לַגּוֹיִם֙ כְּדֵ֣י בָ֔נוּ וְגַם־אַתֶּ֛ם תִּמְכְּר֥וּ אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶ֖ם וְנִמְכְּרוּ־לָ֑נוּ וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ וְלֹ֥א מָצְא֖וּ דָּבָֽר׃ סRead the interlinear
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Weאֲנַ֫חְנוּ'ănachnû · weH587
- have done our bestדַּיday · sufficiencyH1767
- ·גַּםgam · alsoH1571
- to buy backקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- our Jewishיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
- brothersאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
- who were soldמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
- to foreignersגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- but now youאַתֶּם'attâh 'attâ 'ath 'attîy 'attem 'atten 'attênâh 'attênnâh · you(m.p.)H859
- But they remained silentחָרֵשׁchârash · be quietH2790
- for they could findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- nothingלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- to sayדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:8
- Matthew 25:15To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.
- 2 Corinthians 8:12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
- Galatians 6:10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.
- Leviticus 25:47If a foreigner residing among you prospers, but your countryman dwelling near him becomes destitute and sells himself to the foreigner or to a member of his clan,
- Exodus 21:16Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.
- Deuteronomy 24:7If a man is caught kidnapping one of his Israelite brothers, whether he treats him as a slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. So you must purge the evil from among you.
- Romans 14:15If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
- 1 Corinthians 8:11So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
- Job 29:10The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
- Job 32:15Job’s friends are dismayed, with no more to say; words have escaped them.
- Matthew 22:12‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless.
- Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:8
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Nehemiah contrasts his own example with that of the rich Jews. He had spent money in redeeming some countrymen in servitude among the pagan; they were causing others to be sold into slavery among the Jews.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. 1-13Severe financial problems almost stopped the wall's completion (Nehemiah 5:1–5), but Nehemiah found a solution (5:6–13).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 5:8
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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