Nehemiah 5:7

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

5And now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.” 6Then I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. So I thought it over and contended with the nobles and the leading people, and said to them, “You are lending at interest, each to his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. 8And I said to them, “We, according to our ability, have redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?” Then they were silent and could not find a word to say. 9So I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the taunting of the nations, our enemies?

Nehemiah 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

• So I thoughtמָלַךְmâlak · to adviseH4427
• So I thoughtלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• and contendedרִיבrîyb rûb · to contendH7378
• with the noblesחֹרchôr chôr · nobleH2715
• and the leadingסָגָןsâgân · rulerH5461
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• You are lendingנָשָׁאnâshâ' · to deceiveH5377
• at interestמַשָּׁאmashshâ' · interestH4855
• eachאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• to his brotherאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• Therefore, I heldנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
• a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• assemblyקְהִלָּהqehillâh · assemblyH6952
• againstעַל‛al · uponH5921

Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:7

• Psalms 4:4Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah
• Psalms 27:8When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “I shall seek Your face, Lord.”
• Leviticus 19:15‘You shall not do injustice in judgment; you shall not show partiality to the poor nor give preference to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.
• 2 Chronicles 19:6He said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for mankind but for the Lord who is with you when you render judgment.
• Psalms 82:1God takes His position in His assembly; He judges in the midst of the gods.
• Proverbs 27:5Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed.
• 2 Corinthians 5:16Therefore from now on we recognize no one by the flesh; even though we have known Christ by the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
• Galatians 2:11But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
• 1 Timothy 5:20Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.
• Exodus 22:25“If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest.
• Leviticus 25:36Do not take any kind of interest from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman may live with you.
• Deuteronomy 15:2And this is the regulation for the release of debts: every creditor is to forgive what he has loaned to his neighbor; he shall not require it of his neighbor and his brother, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed.
• Deuteronomy 23:19“You are not to charge interest to your countrymen: interest on money, food, or anything that may be loaned on interest.
• Deuteronomy 24:10“When you make your neighbor a loan of any kind, you shall not enter his house to take his pledge.
• Psalms 15:1Lord, who may reside in Your tent? Who may settle on Your holy hill?
• Ezekiel 22:12Among you they have taken bribes to shed blood; you have taken interest, you have injured your neighbors by oppression, and you have forgotten Me,” declares the Lord God.

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

• Borrowing
• Brother
• Country
• Covetousness
• Creditor
• Interest
• Lending
• Poor
• Repentance
• Reproof
• Rich, the
• Rulers
• Usury

In the dictionaries

• Governor
• Jubilee
• Shake
• Usury
• Consult
• Exact
• Interest
• Lend, Loan
• Malachi
• Rebuke

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