Berean Standard Bible

Nehemiah 5

1About that time there wasוַתְּהִ֨יva.te.HiH1961a greatגְּדוֹלָ֑הge.do.LahH1419outcryצַעֲקַ֥תtza.'a.KatH6818from the peopleהָעָ֛םha.'AmH5971and their wivesוּנְשֵׁיהֶ֖םu.ne.shei.HemH802againstאֶל־'el-H413their fellowאֲחֵיהֶ֖ם'a.chei.HemH251Jewsהַיְּהוּדִֽים׃hai.ye.hu.DimH3064.

2וְיֵשׁ֙ve.YeshH3426Someאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherH834were sayingאֹמְרִ֔ים'o.me.RimH559, “Weאֲנַ֣חְנוּ'a.Nach.nuH587andour sonsבָּנֵ֥ינוּba.Nei.nuH1121and daughtersוּבְנֹתֵ֖ינוּu.ve.no.Tei.nuH1323are numerousרַבִּ֑יםra.BimH7227.We must getוְנִקְחָ֥הve.nik.ChahH3947grainדָגָ֖ןda.GanH1715in order to eatוְנֹאכְלָ֥הve.no.khe.LahH398and stay aliveוְנִחְיֶֽה׃ve.nich.YehH2421.”

3וְיֵשׁ֙ve.YeshH3426Othersאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherH834were sayingאֹמְרִ֔ים'o.me.RimH559, “Weאֲנַ֣חְנוּ'a.Nach.nuH587are mortgagingעֹרְבִ֑ים'o.re.VimH6148our fieldsשְׂדֹתֵ֛ינוּse.do.Tei.nuH7704,our vineyardsוּכְרָמֵ֥ינוּu.khe.ra.Mei.nuH3754,and our homesוּבָתֵּ֖ינוּu.va.Tei.nuH1004to getוְנִקְחָ֥הve.nik.ChahH3947grainדָגָ֖ןda.GanH1715during the famineבָּרָעָֽב׃ba.ra.'AvH7458.”

4וְיֵשׁ֙ve.YeshH3426Still othersאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherH834were sayingאֹמְרִ֔ים'o.me.RimH559, “We have borrowedלָוִ֥ינוּla.Vi.nuH3867moneyכֶ֖סֶףKhe.sefH3701to paythe king’sהַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428taxלְמִדַּ֣תle.mi.DatH4060onour fieldsשְׂדֹתֵ֖ינוּse.do.Tei.nuH7704and vineyardsוּכְרָמֵֽינוּ׃u.khe.ra.Mei.nuH3754.

5וְעַתָּ֗הve.'a.TahH6258כִּבְשַׂ֤רkiv.SarH1320We and our childrenכִּבְנֵיהֶ֖םkiv.nei.HemH1121are just like our countrymenאַחֵ֙ינוּ֙ בְּשָׂרֵ֔נוּ'a.Chei.nu be.sa.Re.nuH251 H1320and their childrenבָּנֵ֑ינוּ וְהִנֵּ֣הba.Nei.nu ve.hi.NehH1121 H2009,yet weאֲנַ֣חְנוּ'a.Nach.nuH587are subjectingכֹ֠בְשִׁיםKhoe.shimH3533אֶת־'et-H853our sonsבָּנֵ֨ינוּba.Nei.nuH1121וְאֶת־ve.'EtH853and daughtersבְּנֹתֵ֜ינוּbe.no.Tei.nuH1323to slaveryלַעֲבָדִ֗יםla.'a.va.DimH5650.Some ofוְיֵ֨שׁve.YeshH3426our daughtersמִבְּנֹתֵ֤ינוּmi.be.no.Tei.nuH1323are already enslavedנִכְבָּשׁוֹת֙nikh.ba.shOtH3533,but we are powerlessוְאֵ֣ין לְאֵ֣ל יָדֵ֔נוּve.'Ein le.'El ya.De.nuH369 H410 H3027to redeem thembecause our fieldsוּשְׂדֹתֵ֥ינוּu.se.do.Tei.nuH7704and vineyardsוּכְרָמֵ֖ינוּu.khe.ra.Mei.nuH3754belong to othersלַאֲחֵרִֽים׃la.'a.che.RimH312.”

6Whenכַּאֲשֶׁ֤רka.'a.SherH834I heardשָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙sha.Ma'.tiH8085אֶת־'et-H853their outcryזַֽעֲקָתָ֔םza.'a.ka.TamH2201וְאֵ֖תve.'EtH853and theseהָאֵֽלֶּה׃ha.'E.lehH428complaintsהַדְּבָרִ֥יםha.de.va.RimH1697,I became extremelyמְאֹ֑דme.'OdH3966angryוַיִּ֥חַרvai.Yi.charH2734,

7and after seriousלִבִּ֜יli.BiH3820thoughtוַיִּמָּלֵ֨ךְvai.yi.ma.LekhH4427עָלַ֗י'a.LaiH5921I rebukedוָאָרִ֙יבָה֙va.'a.Ri.vahH7378אֶת־'et-H854the noblesהַחֹרִ֣ים וְאֶת־ha.cho.Rim ve.'EtH2715 H854and officialsהַסְּגָנִ֔יםha.se.ga.NimH5461,sayingוָאֹמְרָ֣הva.'o.me.RahH559, “Youאִישׁ־ אַתֶּ֣ם'ish- 'a.TemH376 H859are exactingH5378usuryמַשָּׁ֥אma.Sha'H4855from your own brothersבְּאָחִ֖יוbe.'a.ChivH251!”So I calledוָאֶתֵּ֥ןva.'e.TenH5414a largeגְדוֹלָֽה׃ge.do.LahH1419assemblyקְהִלָּ֥הke.hi.LahH6952against themעֲלֵיהֶ֖ם'a.lei.HemH5921

8and saidוָאֹמְרָ֣הva.'o.me.RahH559, “Weאֲנַ֣חְנוּ'a.Nach.nuH587have done our bestכְּדֵ֣יke.DeiH1767וְגַם־ve.gam-H1571to buy backקָ֠נִינוּKa.ni.nuH7069אֶת־'et-H853our Jewishהַיְּהוּדִ֜יםhai.ye.hu.DimH3064brothersאַחֵ֨ינוּ'a.Chei.nuH251who were soldהַנִּמְכָּרִ֤יםha.nim.ka.RimH4376to foreignersלַגּוֹיִם֙la.go.YimH1471,but now youאַתֶּ֛ם'a.TemH859are sellingתִּמְכְּר֥וּtim.ke.RuH4376אֶת־'et-H853your own brothersאֲחֵיכֶ֖ם'a.chei.KhemH251,that they may be sold backוְנִמְכְּרוּ־ve.nim.ke.ru-H4376to us!”But they remained silentוַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּvai.ya.cha.Ri.shuH2790,for they could findמָצְא֖וּma.tze.'UH4672nothingוְלֹ֥אve.Lo'H3808to sayדָּבָֽר׃ סda.VarH1697.

9So I continuedוָאוֹמַ֕רvai.yo.merH559, “Whatאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834youאַתֶּ֣ם'a.TemH859are doingעֹשִׂ֑ים'o.SimH6213is notלֹא־lo'-H3808rightט֥וֹב הַדָּבָ֖רTov ha.da.VarH2896 H1697.Shouldn’tהֲל֞וֹאha.Lo'H3808you walkתֵּלֵ֔כוּte.Le.khuH1980in the fearבְּיִרְאַ֤תbe.yir.'AtH3374of our Godאֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙'e.lo.Hei.nuH430to avoid the reproachמֵחֶרְפַּ֖תme.cher.PatH2781of our foreignהַגּוֹיִ֥םha.go.YimH1471enemiesאוֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃'oy.Vei.nuH341?

10Iאֲנִי֙'a.NiH589,as well asוְגַם־ve.gam-H1571my brothersאַחַ֣י'a.ChaiH251and my servantsוּנְעָרַ֔יu.ne.'a.RaiH5288,have been lendingנֹשִׁ֥יםno.ShimH5383the peoplemoneyכֶּ֣סֶףKe.sefH3701and grainוְדָגָ֑ןve.da.GanH1715.Pleaseנָּ֖אna'H4994אֶת־'et-H853,let us stopנַֽעַזְבָה־na.'az.vah-H5800thisהַזֶּֽה׃ha.ZehH2088usuryהַמַּשָּׁ֥אha.ma.Sha'H4855.

11Pleaseנָ֨אna'H4994restoreהָשִׁיבוּ֩ha.shi.VuH7725to themimmediatelyכְּהַיּ֗וֹםke.hai.YomH3117their fieldsשְׂדֹתֵיהֶ֛םse.do.tei.HemH7704,vineyardsכַּרְמֵיהֶ֥םkar.mei.HemH3754,olive grovesזֵיתֵיהֶ֖םzei.tei.HemH2132,and housesוּבָתֵּיהֶ֑םu.va.tei.HemH1004,along with the percentageוּמְאַ֨תu.me.'AtH3967of the moneyהַכֶּ֤סֶףha.Ke.sefH3701,grainוְהַדָּגָן֙ve.ha.da.GanH1715,new wineהַתִּיר֣וֹשׁha.ti.Ro.oshH8492,and oilוְהַיִּצְהָ֔רve.hai.yitz.HarH3323thatאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834youאַתֶּ֖ם'a.TemH859have been assessingנֹשִׁ֥יםno.ShimH5383them.”

12“We will restoreנָשִׁ֗יבna.ShivH7725it,”they repliedוַיֹּאמְר֣וּvai.yo.me.RuH559, “and will requireנְבַקֵּ֔שׁ כֵּ֣ןne.va.Kesh kenH1245 H3651nothingלֹ֣אlo'H3808more from them.We will doנַעֲשֶׂ֔הna.'a.SehH6213asכַּאֲשֶׁ֖רka.'a.SherH834youאַתָּ֣ה'a.TahH859sayאוֹמֵ֑ר'o.MerH559.”So I summonedוָאֶקְרָא֙va.'ek.Ra'H7121אֶת־'et-H853the priestsהַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔יםha.Ko.ha.NimH3548and required of the nobles and officials an oath that theyוָֽאַשְׁבִּיעֵ֔םva.'ash.bi.'EmH7650would doלַעֲשׂ֖וֹתla.'a.SotH6213what they had promisedכַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃ka.da.Var ha.ZehH1697 H2088.

13I alsoגַּם־gam-H1571shook outנָעַ֗רְתִּיna.'Ar.tiH5287the folds of my robeחָצְנִ֣יcha.tze.NiH2684and saidוָֽאֹמְרָ֡הva.'o.me.RahH559, “May Godהָֽאֱלֹהִ֟יםha.'E.lo.HimH430אֶת־'et-H853likewiseכָּ֣כָהKa.khahH3602shakeיְנַעֵ֪רye.na.'ErH5287out of his houseמִבֵּיתוֹ֙mi.bei.ToH1004and possessionsוּמִ֣יגִיע֔וֹ וְכָ֛כָהu.Mi.gi.'O ve.Kha.khahH3018 H3602everyכָּל־kol-H3605manהָאִישׁ֩ha.'IshH376whoאֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherH834does notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808keepיָקִ֜יםya.KimH6965אֶת־'et-H853thisהַזֶּ֗הha.ZehH2088promiseהַדָּבָ֣רha.da.VarH1697.May such a man beיִהְיֶ֥הyih.YehH1961shaken outנָע֖וּרna.'UrH5287and have nothingוָרֵ֑קva.RekH7386!”The wholeכָֽל־khol-H3605assemblyהַקָּהָ֜לha.ka.HalH6951saidוַיֹּאמְר֨וּvai.yo.me.RuH559, “Amenאָמֵ֗ן'a.MenH543,”and they praisedוַֽיְהַלְלוּ֙vay.ha.LuH1984אֶת־'et-H853the LORDיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068.And the peopleהָעָ֖םha.'AmH5971didוַיַּ֥עַשׂvai.Ya.'asH6213as they had promisedכַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃ka.da.Var ha.ZehH1697 H2088.

Nehemiah’s Generosity

14Furthermoreגַּ֞םgamH1571,from the dayמִיּ֣וֹם׀mi.YomH3117אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834Kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhH4428Artaxerxesלְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֣סְתְּאle.'ar.tach.Shast'H783appointed meצִוָּ֣הtzi.VahH6680אֹתִ֗י'o.TiH853to beלִהְי֣וֹתlih.YotH1961their governorפֶּחָם֮pe.ChamH6346in the landבְּאֶ֣רֶץbe.'E.retzH776of Judahיְהוּדָה֒ye.hu.DahH3063,from his twentiethעֶשְׂרִ֗ים'es.RimH6242yearמִשְּׁנַ֣תmi.she.NatH8141untilוְ֠עַדVe.'adH5704his thirty-secondשְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּשְׁתַּ֙יִם֙she.lo.Shim u.she.Ta.yimH7970 H8147yearשְׁנַ֨תshe.NatH8141(twelveשְׁתֵּ֣ים עֶשְׂרֵ֑הshe.Teim 'es.RehH8147 H6240years totalשָׁנִ֖יםsha.NimH8141),neither Iאֲנִ֣י'a.NiH589nor my brothersוְאַחַ֔י לֹ֥אve.'a.Chai lo'H251 H3808ateאָכַֽלְתִּי׃'a.Khal.tiH398the foodלֶ֥חֶםLe.chemH3899allotted to the governorהַפֶּ֖חָהha.Pe.chahH6346.

15The governorsוְהַפַּחוֹת֩ הָרִאשֹׁנִ֨יםve.ha.pa.chOt ha.ri.sho.NimH6346 H7223אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834before meלְפָנַ֜יle.fa.NaiH6440had heavily burdenedהִכְבִּ֣ידוּ עַל־hikh.Bi.du 'al-H3513 H5921the peopleהָעָ֗םha.'AmH5971,takingוַיִּקְח֨וּvai.yik.ChuH3947from thembreadבְּלֶ֤חֶםbe.Le.chemH3899and wineוָיַ֙יִן֙va.Ya.yinH3196plusאַחַר֙'a.CharH310fortyאַרְבָּעִ֔ים'ar.ba.'ImH705shekelsשְׁקָלִ֣יםshe.ka.LimH8255of silverכֶּֽסֶף־ke.sef-H3701.Their servantsנַעֲרֵיהֶ֖םna.'a.rei.HemH5288alsoגַּ֥םgamH1571oppressedשָׁלְט֣וּ עַל־shal.Tu 'al-H7980 H5921the peopleהָעָ֑םha.'AmH5971.But Iוַאֲנִי֙va.'a.NiH589did notלֹא־lo'-H3808doעָשִׂ֣יתִי'a.Si.tiH6213thisכֵ֔ןKhenH3651,becauseמִפְּנֵ֖יmi.pe.NeiH6440of my fearיִרְאַ֥תyir.'AtH3374of Godאֱלֹהִֽים׃'E.lo.HimH430.

16Insteadוְ֠גַםVe.gamH1571,I devoted myselfהֶחֱזַ֔קְתִּיhe.che.Zak.tiH2388to the constructionבִּמְלֶ֜אכֶתbim.Le.khetH4399of theהַזֹּאת֙ha.zoTH2063wallהַחוֹמָ֤הha.cho.MahH2346,and allוְכָל־ve.kholH3605my servantsנְעָרַ֔יne.'a.RaiH5288were gatheredקְבוּצִ֥יםke.vu.TzimH6908thereשָׁ֖םshamH8033forעַל־'al-H5921the workהַמְּלָאכָֽה׃ha.me.la.KhahH4399;we did notלֹ֣אlo'H3808acquireקָנִ֑ינוּka.Ni.nuH7069any landוְשָׂדֶ֖הve.sa.DehH7704.

17There were 150מֵאָ֧ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אִ֗ישׁme.'Ah va.cha.mi.Shim 'IshH3967 H2572 H376Jewsוְהַיְּהוּדִ֨יםve.hai.ye.hu.DimH3064and officialsוְהַסְּגָנִ֜יםve.ha.se.ga.NimH5461אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834atעַל־'al-H5921my tableשֻׁלְחָנִֽי׃shul.cha.NiH7979,besides the guestsוְהַבָּאִ֥ים אֵלֵ֛ינוּve.ha.ba.'Im 'e.Lei.nuH935 H413fromמִן־min-H4480the surroundingסְבִיבֹתֵ֖ינוּse.vi.vo.Tei.nuH5439nationsהַגּוֹיִ֥םha.go.YimH1471.

18וַאֲשֶׁר֩va.'a.SherH834הָיָ֨הha.YahH1961נַעֲשֶׂ֜הna.'a.SehH6213Eachאֶחָ֗ד'e.ChadH259dayלְי֣וֹםle.YomH3117oneאֶחָ֞ד'e.ChadH259oxשׁ֣וֹרShorH7794,sixשֵׁשׁ־shesh-H8337choiceבְּרֻר֤וֹתbe.ru.RotH1305sheepצֹ֠אןtzonH6629,and some fowlוְצִפֳּרִים֙ve.tzi.po.RimH6833were preparedנַֽעֲשׂוּ־na.'a.su-H6213for me,and once everyוּבֵ֨יןu.VeinH996tenעֲשֶׂ֧רֶת'a.Se.retH6235daysיָמִ֛יםya.MimH3117an abundanceלְהַרְבֵּ֑ה וְעִם־le.har.Beh ve.'im-H7235 H5973זֶ֗הZehH2088of all kindsבְּכָל־be.kholH3605of wineיַ֖יִןYa.yinH3196was provided.But I did notלֹ֣אlo'H3808demandבִקַּ֔שְׁתִּיvi.Kash.tiH1245the foodלֶ֤חֶםLe.chemH3899allotted to the governorהַפֶּחָה֙ha.pe.ChahH6346,becauseכִּֽי־ki-H3588the burdenהָעֲבֹדָ֖הha.'a.vo.DahH5656onעַל־'al-H5921the peopleהָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה׃ha.'Am ha.ZehH5971 H2088was so heavyכָֽבְדָ֥הkha.ve.DahH3513.

19Rememberזָכְרָה־za.khe.rah-H2142mefavorablyלְטוֹבָ֑הle.to.VahH2896,O my Godאֱלֹהַ֖י'e.lo.HaiH430,for allכֹּ֥לkolH3605thatאֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-H834I have doneעָשִׂ֖יתִי'a.Si.tiH6213forעַל־'al-H5921thisהַזֶּֽה׃ פha.ZehH2088peopleהָעָ֥םha.'AmH5971.

Nehemiah’s Generosity

Commentaries on Nehemiah 5