Nehemiah 5:15

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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way.

Context of Nehemiah 5:15

13I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said "Amen" and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised. 14Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 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. 16I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.

Nehemiah 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• But the formerרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · first: previousH7223
• governorsפֶּחָהpechâh · governorH6346
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• me were chargeableכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: heavyH3513
• unto the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• and had takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• of them breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: allowanceH3899
• and wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• besideאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• fortyאַרְבָּעִים'arbâ‛îym · fortyH705
• shekelsשֶׁ֫קֶלsheqel · shekelH8255
• of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• yea, evenגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• their servantsנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• bare ruleשָׁלַטshâlaţ · to domineerH7980
• but so didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• not I, becauseפָּנֶהpânîym · face: becauseH6440
• of the fearיִרְאָהyir'âh · fearH3374
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430

Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:15

• 1 Samuel 2:15Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, "Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw."
• 1 Samuel 8:15He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.
• Proverbs 29:12If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked.
• Matthew 5:47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
• 2 Corinthians 11:9And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way.
• 2 Corinthians 12:13For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!
• Nehemiah 5:9So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?
• Job 31:23For I was in terror of calamity from God, and I could not have faced his majesty.
• Psalms 112:1Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!
• Psalms 147:11but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
• Proverbs 16:6By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
• Ecclesiastes 12:13The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
• Isaiah 50:10Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.
• Luke 18:2He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected 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

• Civil Service
• Conscience
• Country
• Example
• Fear of God
• Integrity
• Kindness
• Love
• Unselfishness

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jubilee
• Shake
• Charge; Chargeable
• Malachi
• Money
• Tax; Taxing
• Versions, Georgian, Gothic, Slavonic
• Taxes

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