Nehemiah 5:8

Nehemiah 5:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
• New International Version (NIV)and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and said to them, "We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!" They were silent and could not find a word to say.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?” Then they were silenced and found nothing to say.

Context of Nehemiah 5:8

6I became furious when I heard their complaint and what they had to say. 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. Then 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? 10My brothers, my servants, and I are lending money and grain to the poor. But we must stop charging them interest.

Nehemiah 5:8 word by word

וָאֹמְרָ֣ה לָהֶ֗ם אֲנַ֣חְנוּ קָ֠נִינוּ אֶת־אַחֵ֨ינוּ הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַנִּמְכָּרִ֤ים לַגּוֹיִם֙ כְּדֵ֣י בָ֔נוּ וְגַם־אַתֶּ֛ם תִּמְכְּר֥וּ אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶ֖ם וְנִמְכְּרוּ־לָ֑נוּ וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ וְלֹ֥א מָצְא֖וּ דָּבָֽר׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And I saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto them, We after our abilityדַּיday · sufficiencyH1767
• have redeemedקָנָהqânâh · to buyH7069
• our brethrenאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
• which were soldמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
• unto the heathenגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• unto us? Then held they their peaceחָרֵשׁchârash · be quietH2790
• and foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• nothingדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697

Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:8

• Matthew 25:15He gave one man ten thousand dollars, another four thousand dollars, and another two thousand dollars. Each was given money based on his ability. Then the man went on his trip.
• 2 Corinthians 8:12with whatever contributions you have. Since you are willing to do this, ⌞remember⌟ that people are accepted if they give what they are able to give. God doesn’t ask for what they don’t have.
• Galatians 6:10Whenever we have the opportunity, we have to do what is good for everyone, especially for the family of believers.
• Leviticus 25:47“Someone who is a foreigner without a permanent home among you may become rich, and your relative living with him may be poor. The poor Israelite may sell himself to that foreigner or a member of his family.
• Exodus 21:16“Whoever kidnaps another person must be put to death, whether he has sold the kidnapped person or still has him.
• Deuteronomy 24:7Whoever kidnaps another Israelite must die. The kidnapper must die, whether he treated the other person like a slave or sold him. You must get rid of this evil.
• Romans 14:15So if what you eat hurts another Christian, you are no longer living by love. Don’t destroy anyone by what you eat. Christ died for that person.
• 1 Corinthians 8:11In that case, your knowledge is ruining a believer whose faith is weak, a believer for whom Christ died.
• Job 29:10The voices of nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
• Job 32:15“Job’s friends have been overwhelmed and don’t have any more answers. They don’t have another word to say.
• Matthew 22:12He said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without proper wedding clothes?’ “The man had nothing to say.
• Romans 3:19We know that whatever the Scriptures say applies to everyone under their influence, and no one can say a thing. The whole world is brought under the judgment of God.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:8

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Nehemiah contrasts his own example with that of the rich Jews. He had spent money in redeeming some countrymen in servitude among the pagan; they were causing others to be sold into slavery among the Jews.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. 1-13Severe financial problems almost stopped the wall's completion (Nehemiah 5:1–5), but Nehemiah found a solution (5:6–13).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 5:8

• Beneficence
• Borrowing
• Country
• Covetousness
• Creditor
• Example
• Interest
• Kindness
• Lending
• Poor
• Repentance
• Reproof
• Rich, the
• Rulers
• Servant
• Usury

In the dictionaries

• Jubilee
• Shake
• Cupbearer
• Malachi
• Nothing
• Redeemer; Redemption
• Salvation
• Tax; Taxing
• 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