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 of them said, “We have large families! We need some grain ⌞if we are going⌟ to eat and stay alive.” 3Others said, “We’ve had to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our homes in order to get some grain because of this famine.” Others 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.” 6I became furious when I heard their complaint and what they had to say.

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 9:37The many products ⌞from our land⌟ go to the kings you put over us. This is because of our sins. These kings have control over our bodies, and they do as they please with our livestock. We are in agony.
• Deuteronomy 28:47You didn’t serve the Lord your God with a joyful and happy heart when you had so much.
• Joshua 16:10However, they did not force out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer. So the Canaanites still live in Ephraim today, but they are required to do forced labor.
• 1 Kings 9:21but they had descendants who were still in the land. Solomon drafted them for slave labor. (They are still ⌞slaves⌟ today.)
• Ezra 4:13You should also know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are finished, the Jews will no longer pay taxes, fees, and tolls. Ultimately, this will hurt the king’s income.

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
• Versions, Georgian, Gothic, Slavonic

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