EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Nehemiah 5:3
3Other people said, ‘People have to lend us money to buy food. We have to give them our fields, our vineyards and our homes until we can pay them back.’
Nehemiah 5:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
- New International Version (NIV)Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)There were also those who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine."
- New King James Version (NKJV)There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.”
Context of Nehemiah 5:3
1Some men and their wives were upset, because of the things that some other Jews were doing. 2Many of them said, ‘We are big families, with many sons and daughters. We need to have food to eat so that we can stay alive.’ Other people said, ‘People have to lend us money to buy food. We have to give them our fields, our vineyards and our homes until we can pay them back.’ 4Other people said, ‘We have to pay taxes to the king for our fields and our vineyards. People had to lend us money to pay the taxes. 5Now we have to sell our sons and daughters as slaves so that we can pay back the money. But we are from the same human family as those other Jews. Our children are not different from their children. Already some of our daughters have become slaves. Our fields and vineyards now belong to other people, so we are helpless to do anything.’
Read all of Nehemiah 5Nehemiah 5:3 word by word
וְיֵשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֹמְרִ֔ים שְׂדֹתֵ֛ינוּ וּכְרָמֵ֥ינוּ וּבָתֵּ֖ינוּ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ עֹרְבִ֑ים וְנִקְחָ֥ה דָגָ֖ן בָּרָעָֽב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- also there wereיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- that saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- We have mortgagedעָרַב‛ârab · to pledgeH6148
- our landsשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
- vineyardsכֶּרֶםkerem · vineyardH3754
- and housesבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- that we might buyלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- cornדָּגָןdâgân · grainH1715
- because of the dearthרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:3
- Genesis 47:15Soon the people of Egypt and Canaan did not have any more money. All the Egyptians went to Joseph and they said, ‘Give us food to eat. If not, we will die! We do not have any more money.’
- Leviticus 25:35An Israelite may become poor. He may not be able to feed his family. You must help him. You would help a visitor or a foreigner in the same way. You must help the man so that he can continue to live among you.
- Deuteronomy 15:7The Lord your God will bless you in the land that he is giving to you. But perhaps there will be a poor person among the Israelites in one of your towns. Then do not refuse to help him. Do not think only about yourself.
- Malachi 3:8I say to you, “A man should not rob God. But you are robbing me.” But you ask, “How do we rob you?” I say, “You do not give to me the tithes and the offerings that you should give.”
Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Because of the dearth - About the time of Zerubbabel, God had sent a judicial dearth upon the land, as we learn from Haggai, Haggai 1:9, etc., for the people it seems were more intent on building houses for themselves than on rebuilding the house of the Lord: "Ye looked for much, and, lo, it is come to little; because of mine house that is waste; and ye run, every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Some small landowners had mortgaged everything to survive. The famine worsened the problem because grain was scarce and food prices naturally rose.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 5:3
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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