New King James Version
Nehemiah 5:7
7After 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)After thinking it over, I spoke out against these nobles and officials. I told them, “You are hurting your own relatives by charging interest when they borrow money!” Then I called a public meeting to deal with the problem.
Context of Nehemiah 5:7
5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.” 6And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 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. 8And 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. 9Then 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?
Read all of Nehemiah 5Nehemiah 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then I consultedמָלַךְmâlak · to adviseH4427
- with myselfלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- and I rebukedרִיבrîyb rûb · to contendH7378
- the noblesחֹרchôr chôr · nobleH2715
- and the rulersסָגָןsâgân · rulerH5461
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, Ye exactנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: aidH5375
- unto them, Ye exactנָשָׁהnâshâh · to lendH5383
- unto them, Ye exactנָשָׁאnâshâ' · to exactH5378
- usuryמַשָּׁאmashshâ' · interestH4855
- every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- of his brotherאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
- And I setנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
- a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- assemblyקְהִלָּהqehillâh · assemblyH6952
Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:7
- Psalms 4:4Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah
- Psalms 27:8When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
- Leviticus 19:15‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
- 2 Chronicles 19:6and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.
- Psalms 82:1God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.
- Proverbs 27:5Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed.
- 2 Corinthians 5:16Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
- Galatians 2:11Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;
- 1 Timothy 5:20Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.
- Exodus 22:25“If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest.
- Leviticus 25:36Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you.
- Deuteronomy 15:2And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the Lord’s release.
- Deuteronomy 23:19“You shall not charge interest to your brother—interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest.
- Deuteronomy 24:10“When you lend your brother anything, you shall not go into his house to get his pledge.
- Psalms 15:1Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
- Ezekiel 22:12In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,” says 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
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 King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries