Nehemiah 5:18

Nehemiah 5:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
• New International Version (NIV)Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now what was prepared at my expense for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now that which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. Yet in spite of this I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

Context of Nehemiah 5:18

16I also applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17Moreover, there were at my table 150 Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. Now that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep; also birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all sorts of wine were provided in abundance. Yet for all this I did not request the governor’s food allowance, because the forced labor was heavy on this people. 19Remember me, my God, for good, in return for all that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah 5:18 word by word

וַאֲשֶׁר֩ הָיָ֨ה נַעֲשֶׂ֜ה לְי֣וֹם אֶחָ֗ד שׁ֣וֹר אֶחָ֞ד צֹ֠אן שֵׁשׁ־בְּרֻר֤וֹת וְצִפֳּרִים֙ נַֽעֲשׂוּ־לִ֔י וּבֵ֨ין עֲשֶׂ֧רֶת יָמִ֛ים בְּכָל־יַ֖יִן לְהַרְבֵּ֑ה וְעִם־זֶ֗ה לֶ֤חֶם הַפֶּחָה֙ לֹ֣א בִקַּ֔שְׁתִּי כִּֽי־כָֽבְדָ֥ה הָעֲבֹדָ֖ה עַל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear

• that whichאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• was preparedעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• for each dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• was oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• oxשׁוֹרshôr · cattleH7794
• choiceבָּרַרbârar · to purifyH1305
• sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
• also birdsצִפּוֹרtsippôr tsippôr · birdH6833
• for me, and everyבַּ֫יִןbêyn · betweenH996
• tenעֶשֶׂר‛eώer ‛ăώârâh · tenH6235
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
• in abundanceרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• I did not requestבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• the governor’sפֶּחָהpechâh · governorH6346
• foodלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: allowanceH3899
• becauseכִּיkîy · forH3588
• the forcedעֲבֹדָה‛ăbôdâh ‛ăbôdâh · serviceH5656
• wasכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: heavyH3513
• heavyכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: heavyH3513
• peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971

Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:18

• 1 Kings 4:22Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty kors of fine flour and sixty kors of meal,
• Nehemiah 5:14Furthermore, since the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance.
• Psalms 37:21The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18One ox, and six choice sheep - This was food sufficient for more than two hundred men. Once in ten days store of all sorts of wine - It is supposed that every tenth day they drank wine; at all other times they drank water; unless we suppose the meaning of the phrase to be, that his servants laid in a stock of wine every ten days. Though the Asiatics drank sparingly of wine, yet it is not very likely that, in a case such as that above, wine was tasted only…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Compare the far grander provision for Solomon‘s table (see the marginal reference).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. 14-19This section explains Nehemiah's steady approach to servant leadership and his personal generosity.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 5:18

• Country
• Example
• Integrity
• Kindness
• Unselfishness

In the dictionaries

• Jubilee
• Shake
• Bondage
• Daily
• Demand
• Food
• Fowl
• Malachi
• Versions, Georgian, Gothic, Slavonic
• Governor

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