Nehemiah 5:3

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

1Then some of the people, the men and their wives, complained publicly about their Jewish relatives. 2Some of them said, “We have large families! We need some grain ⌞if we are going⌟ to eat and stay alive.” Others said, “We’ve had to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our homes in order to get some grain because of this famine.” 4Others said, “We’ve had to borrow money to pay the king’s taxes on our fields and vineyards. 5We have the same flesh and blood as our relatives. Our children are just like theirs. Yet, we have to force our sons and daughters to become slaves. Some of our daughters have already become slaves. But we can’t do anything else when our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Nehemiah 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 47:15When the money in Egypt and Canaan was gone, all the Egyptians came to Joseph. “Give us food,” they said. “Do you want us to die right in front of you? We don’t have any more money!”
• Leviticus 25:35“If an Israelite becomes poor and cannot support himself, help him. He must live with you as a stranger without a permanent home.
• Deuteronomy 15:7This is what you must do whenever there are poor Israelites in one of your cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
• Malachi 3:8“Can a person cheat God? Yet, you are cheating me! “But you ask, ‘How are we cheating you?’ “When ⌞you don’t bring⌟ a tenth of your income and other contributions.

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

• Borrowing
• Country
• Covetousness
• Creditor
• Debt
• Debtor
• Homestead
• House
• Interest
• Land
• Lending
• Mortgage
• Poor
• Repentance
• Rich, the
• Tax
• Usury

In the dictionaries

• Jubilee
• Shake
• Famine
• Get; Getting
• Malachi
• Mortgage
• Poverty
• Salvation
• Surety
• Tax; Taxing

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