New English Translation
Nehemiah 5:8
8I said to them, “To the extent possible we have bought back our fellow Jews who had been sold to the Gentiles. But now you yourselves want to sell your own countrymen, so that we can then buy them back!” They were utterly silent, and could find nothing to say.
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 was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. 7I considered these things carefully and then registered a complaint with the wealthy and the officials. I said to them, “Each one of you is seizing the collateral from your own countrymen!” Because of them I called for a great public assembly. I said to them, “To the extent possible we have bought back our fellow Jews who had been sold to the Gentiles. But now you yourselves want to sell your own countrymen, so that we can then buy them back!” They were utterly silent, and could find nothing to say. 9Then I said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong! Should you not conduct yourselves in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies? 10Even I and my relatives and my associates are lending them money and grain. But let us abandon this practice of seizing collateral!
Read all of Nehemiah 5Nehemiah 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 25:15To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
- 2 Corinthians 8:12For if the eagerness is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have.
- Galatians 6:10So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.
- Leviticus 25:47“‘If a resident foreigner who is with you prospers and your brother becomes impoverished with regard to him so that he sells himself to a resident foreigner who is with you or to a member of a foreigner’s family,
- Exodus 21:16“Whoever kidnaps someone and sells him, or is caught still holding him, must surely be put to death.
- Deuteronomy 24:7If a man is found kidnapping a person from among his fellow Israelites, and regards him as mere property and sells him, that kidnapper must die. In this way you will purge evil from among you.
- Romans 14:15For if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died.
- 1 Corinthians 8:11So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed.
- Job 29:10the voices of the nobles fell silent, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.
- Job 32:15“They are dismayed and cannot answer any more; they have nothing left to say.
- Matthew 22:12And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But he had nothing to say.
- Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to 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
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries