New International Version
Nehemiah 5:9
9So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?
Nehemiah 5:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
- English Standard Version (ESV)So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then I pressed further, “What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations?
Context of Nehemiah 5:9
7I 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 8and 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. So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies? 10I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! 11Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
Read all of Nehemiah 5Nehemiah 5:9 word by word
וָאוֹמַ֕ר לֹא־ט֥וֹב הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֑ים הֲל֞וֹא בְּיִרְאַ֤ת אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ תֵּלֵ֔כוּ מֵחֶרְפַּ֖ת הַגּוֹיִ֥ם אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Also I saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- not goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- thatדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- ye doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- ought ye not to walkיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- in the fearיִרְאָהyir'âh · fearH3374
- of our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- because of the reproachחֶרְפָּהcherpâh · reproachH2781
- of the heathenגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- our enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:9
- 1 Samuel 2:24No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good.
- Proverbs 16:29A violent person entices their neighbor and leads them down a path that is not good.
- Proverbs 17:26If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good, surely to flog honest officials is not right.
- Proverbs 18:5It is not good to be partial to the wicked and so deprive the innocent of justice.
- Proverbs 19:2Desire without knowledge is not good— how much more will hasty feet miss the way!
- Proverbs 24:23These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:
- Nehemiah 5:15But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.
- Genesis 20:11Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’
- Genesis 42:18On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:
- Leviticus 25:36Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you.
- Acts 9:31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
- Genesis 13:7And quarreling arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites and Perizzites were also living in the land at that time.
- 2 Samuel 12:14But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for the Lord, the son born to you will die.”
- Ezekiel 36:20And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’
- Romans 2:24As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
- 1 Timothy 5:14So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God - If ye wish to accredit that religion ye profess which comes from the God of justice and mercy; should you not, in the sight of the heathen, abstain from injustice and cruelty? Can they credit your profession, when they see such practices? The inconsistent conduct of some professors of religion does much harm in the Church of God.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. 9walk in the fear of our God: See Leviticus 25:35–43. avoid the reproach: See also Nehemiah 1:3; 2:19; 4:1–3.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 5:9
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
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