Darby Bible
Nehemiah 5:15
15But the former governors that were before me had been chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver: even their servants bore rule over the people. But I did not so, because of the fear of 1God.
Nehemiah 5:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
- New International Version (NIV)But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
Context of Nehemiah 5:15
13Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house and from his earnings, that performeth not this promise: even thus be he shaken out and emptied! And all the congregation said, Amen! And they praised Jehovah. And the people did according to this promise. 14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. But the former governors that were before me had been chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver: even their servants bore rule over the people. But I did not so, because of the fear of God. 16Yea, also I applied myself to this work of the wall, and we bought no fields; and all my servants were gathered thither for the work. 17And there were at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and the rulers, besides those that came to us from among the nations that were about us.
Read all of Nehemiah 5Nehemiah 5:15 word by word
וְהַפַּחוֹת֩ הָרִאשֹׁנִ֨ים אֲשֶׁר־לְפָנַ֜י הִכְבִּ֣ידוּ עַל־הָעָ֗ם וַיִּקְח֨וּ מֵהֶ֜ם בְּלֶ֤חֶם וָיַ֙יִן֙ אַחַר֙ כֶּֽסֶף־שְׁקָלִ֣ים אַרְבָּעִ֔ים גַּ֥ם נַעֲרֵיהֶ֖ם שָׁלְט֣וּ עַל־הָעָ֑ם וַאֲנִי֙ לֹא־עָשִׂ֣יתִי כֵ֔ן מִפְּנֵ֖י יִרְאַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear
- formerרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · first: previousH7223
- governorsפֶּחָהpechâh · governorH6346
- peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · foodH3899
- wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
- fortyאַרְבָּעִים'arbâ‛îym · fortyH705
- shekelsשֶׁ֫קֶלsheqel · shekelH8255
- silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- servantsנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- soכֵּןkên · rightH3651
- fearיִרְאָהyir'âh · fearH3374
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:15
- 1 Samuel 2:15Even before they burned the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest, and he will not accept sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
- 1 Samuel 8:15And he will take the tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give to his chamberlains and to his servants.
- Proverbs 29:12If a ruler hearken to lying words, all his servants are wicked.
- Matthew 5:47And if ye should salute your brethren only, what do ye extraordinary? Do not also the Gentiles the same?
- 2 Corinthians 11:9And being present with you and lacking, I did not lazily burden any one, (for the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied what I lacked,) and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will keep myself.
- 2 Corinthians 12:13For in what is it that ye have been inferior to the other assemblies, unless that I myself have not been in laziness a charge upon you? Forgive me this injury.
- Nehemiah 5:9And I said, The thing that ye do is not good. Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, so as not to be the reproach of the nations our enemies?
- Job 31:23For calamity from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his excellency I was powerless.
- Psalms 112:1Hallelujah! Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
- Psalms 147:11Jehovah taketh pleasure in those that fear him, in those that hope in his loving-kindness.
- Proverbs 16:6By loving-kindness and truth iniquity is atoned for; and by the fear of Jehovah [men] depart from evil.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13Let us hear the end of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole of man.
- Isaiah 50:10Who is among you that feareth Jehovah, that hearkeneth to the voice of his servant? he that walketh in darkness, and hath no light, — let him confide in the name of Jehovah, and stay himself upon his God.
- Luke 18:2saying, There was a judge in a city, not fearing God and not respecting man:
Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:15
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Forty shekels of silver - A daily sum from the entire province. For such a table as that kept by Nehemiah Nehemiah 5:18, this would be a very moderate payment.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-19Verses 14-19 Those who truly fear God, will not dare to do any thing cruel or unjust. Let all who are in public places remember that they are so placed to do good, not to enrich themselves. Nehemiah mentions it to God in prayer, not as if he had merited any favour from God, but to show that he depended upon God only, to make up to him what he had lost and laid out for his honour. Nehemiah evidently spake and acted as one that knew himself to be a sinner…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15The former governors were likely Nehemiah’s immediate predecessors, not Sheshbazzar (Ezra 1:8, around 90 years earlier) or Zerubbabel (Haggai 1:1, around 80 years earlier).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. the former governors ... had taken ... bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver--The income of Eastern governors is paid partly in produce, partly in money. "Bread" means all sorts of provision. The forty shekels of silver per day would amount to a yearly salary of £1800 sterling.Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 5:15
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Nehemiah 5:15 5.15 Elohim ↩
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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Commentaries