God’s Word Translation
Nehemiah 5:7
7After thinking it over, I confronted the nobles and the leaders. I told them, “You are charging interest on loans made to your own relatives.” I arranged for a large meeting to deal with them.
Nehemiah 5:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
- New International Version (NIV)I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them
- English Standard Version (ESV)I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, "You are exacting interest, each from his brother." And I held a great assembly against them
- New King James Version (NKJV)After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against them.
Context of Nehemiah 5:7
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. After thinking it over, I confronted the nobles and the leaders. I told them, “You are charging interest on loans made to your own relatives.” I arranged for a large meeting to deal with them. 8Then I told them, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish relatives who had been sold to other nations. Now you are selling your Jewish relatives so that we have to buy them back again!” They were unable to say anything. 9I added, “What you’re doing is wrong. Shouldn’t you live in the fear of our God to keep our enemies from ridiculing us?
Read all of Nehemiah 5Nehemiah 5:7 word by word
וַיִּמָּלֵ֨ךְ לִבִּ֜י עָלַ֗י וָאָרִ֙יבָה֙ אֶת־הַחֹרִ֣ים וְאֶת־הַסְּגָנִ֔ים וָאֹמְרָ֣ה לָהֶ֔ם מַשָּׁ֥א אִישׁ־בְּאָחִ֖יו אַתֶּ֣ם נֹשְׂאִים וָאֶתֵּ֥ן עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם קְהִלָּ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then I consultedמָלַךְmâlak · to adviseH4427
- with myselfלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- and I rebukedרִיבrîyb rûb · to contendH7378
- the noblesחֹרchôr chôr · nobleH2715
- and the rulersסָגָןsâgân · rulerH5461
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, Ye exactנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: aidH5375
- unto them, Ye exactנָשָׁהnâshâh · to lendH5383
- unto them, Ye exactנָשָׁאnâshâ' · to exactH5378
- usuryמַשָּׁאmashshâ' · interestH4855
- every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- of his brotherאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
- And I setנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
- a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- assemblyקְהִלָּהqehillâh · assemblyH6952
Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:7
- Psalms 4:4Tremble and do not sin. Think about this on your bed and remain quiet. Selah
- Psalms 27:8⌞When you said,⌟ “Seek my face,” my heart said to you, “O Lord, I will seek your face.”
- Leviticus 19:15“Don’t be corrupt when administering justice. Never give special favors to poor people, and never show preference to important people. Judge your neighbor fairly.
- 2 Chronicles 19:6He told the judges, “Pay attention to what you’re doing. When you judge, you aren’t doing it for a human but for the Lord. He will be with you when you hear a case.
- Psalms 82:1God takes his place in his own assembly. He pronounces judgment among the gods:
- Proverbs 27:5Open criticism is better than unexpressed love.
- 2 Corinthians 5:16So from now on we don’t think of anyone from a human point of view. If we did think of Christ from a human point of view, we don’t anymore.
- Galatians 2:11When Cephas came to Antioch, I had to openly oppose him because he was completely wrong.
- 1 Timothy 5:20Reprimand those leaders who sin. Do it in front of everyone so that the other leaders will also be afraid.
- Exodus 22:25“If you lend money to my people—to any poor person among you—never act like a moneylender. Charge no interest.
- Leviticus 25:36Don’t collect interest or make any profit from him. Fear your God by respecting other Israelites’ lives.
- Deuteronomy 15:2This is what you will do: If you’ve made a loan, don’t collect payment on the debt your neighbor still owes you. Don’t demand that your neighbor or relative pay you, because the ⌞time⌟ for suspending payments on debts has been proclaimed in the Lord’s honor.
- Deuteronomy 23:19Never charge another Israelite any interest on money, food, or anything else that is borrowed.
- Deuteronomy 24:10When you make a loan to your neighbor, don’t go into his house to take a security deposit.
- Psalms 15:1O Lord, who may stay in your tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?
- Ezekiel 22:12Other people take bribes to murder people. You collect interest and make excessive profits. You make profits by mistreating your neighbors. You have forgotten me, declares the Almighty Lord.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Ye exact usury - This was expressly contrary to the law of God; and was doubly cruel at this time, when they were just returning out of the land of their captivity, and were suffering from the effects of a dearth. Some think that it was about the time of a Sabbatical year, when their land must have lain at rest without cultivation, and during which they were expressly commanded not to exact any debt. Deuteronomy 15:2. I set a great assembly against them…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Ye exact usury - The phrase is unique to Nehemiah, and is best explained by the context, which shows the practice of the rich Jews at the time to have been not so much to lend on usury as to lend on mortgage and pledge.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-13Verses 6-13 Nehemiah knew that, if he built Jerusalem's walls ever so high, so thick, or so strong, the city could not be safe while there were abuses. The right way to reform men's lives, is to convince their consciences. If you walk in the fear of God, you will not be either covetous of worldly gain, or cruel toward your brethren. Nothing exposes religion more to reproach, than the worldliness and hard-heartedness of the professors of it. Those that…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-7Nehemiah was very angry, but he controlled himself. He thought it over and then spoke to resolve the conflict instead of worsening it (see James 1:19–20).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-196-12. I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words--When such disorders came to the knowledge of the governor, his honest indignation was roused against the perpetrators of the evil. Having summoned a public assembly, he denounced their conduct in terms of just severity. He contrasted it with his own in redeeming with his money some of the Jewish exiles who, through debt or otherwise, had lost their personal liberty in Babylon. He urged the…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 5:7
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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