Nehemiah 5:4

Nehemiah 5:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And there were those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards.
• New King James Version (NKJV)There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards.
• New Living Translation (NLT)And others said, “We have had to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay our taxes.

Context of Nehemiah 5:4

2Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.” 3Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.” Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.” 6When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry.

Nehemiah 5:4 word by word

וְיֵשׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֹמְרִ֔ים לָוִ֥ינוּ כֶ֖סֶף לְמִדַּ֣ת הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ שְׂדֹתֵ֖ינוּ וּכְרָמֵֽינוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• There wereיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• also that saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• We have borrowedלָוָהlâvâh · to borrowH3867
• moneyכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• for the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• tributeמִדָּהmiddâh · tributeH4060
• our landsשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
• and vineyardsכֶּרֶםkerem · vineyardH3754

Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:4

• Nehemiah 9:37Because of our sins, its abundant harvest goes to the kings you have placed over us. They rule over our bodies and our cattle as they please. We are in great distress.
• Deuteronomy 28:47Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity,
• Joshua 16:10They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.
• 1 Kings 9:21Solomon conscripted the descendants of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate—to serve as slave labor, as it is to this day.
• Ezra 4:13Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and eventually the royal revenues will suffer.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4We have borrowed money - This should be read, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute on our lands and vineyards. They had a tax to pay to the Persian king in token of their subjection to him, and though it is not likely it was heavy, yet they were not able to pay it.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The king‘s tribute - The tax payable to the Persian monarch (compare Ezra 4:13; Esther 10:1). In ancient times, heavy taxation was often productive of debt and distress.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4pay the king’s tax: Despite the famine, the Persians did not cancel the heavy royal taxes due at harvest time.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-51-5. there was a great cry of the people ... against their brethren--Such a crisis in the condition of the Jews in Jerusalem--fatigued with hard labor and harassed by the machinations of restless enemies, the majority of them poor, and the bright visions which hope had painted of pure happiness on their return to the land of their fathers being unrealized--must have been very trying to their faith and patience. But, in addition to these vexatious…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 5:4

• Borrowing
• Country
• Covetousness
• Creditor
• Debt
• Debtor
• Interest
• Land
• Lending
• Money
• Poor
• Repentance
• Rich, the
• Tax
• Usury

In the dictionaries

• Jubilee
• Shake
• Lend, Loan
• Malachi
• Poverty
• Salvation
• Surety
• Tax; Taxing
• Toll
• 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