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, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.” 3Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and 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 because our fields and vineyards belong to others.” 6I became extremely angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints.

Nehemiah 5:4 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• There wereיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• also that saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• We have borrowedלָוָהlâvâh · to borrowH3867
• moneyכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• for the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• tributeמִדָּהmiddâh · tributeH4060
• our landsשָׂדֶהώâdeh 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. They rule over our bodies and our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.
• Deuteronomy 28:47Because you didn’t serve the Lord your God with joy and a cheerful heart, even though you had an abundance of everything,
• Joshua 16:10However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer. So the Canaanites still live in Ephraim today, but they are forced laborers.
• 1 Kings 9:21their descendants who remained in the land after them, those whom the Israelites were unable to destroy completely — Solomon imposed forced labor on them; it is still this way today.
• Ezra 4:13Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, they will not pay tribute, duty, or land tax, and the royal revenue 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