New Living Translation
Nehemiah 5:15
15The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way.
Nehemiah 5:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
- New International Version (NIV)But 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
Context of Nehemiah 5:15
13I shook out the folds of my robe and said, “If you fail to keep your promise, may God shake you like this from your homes and from your property!” The whole assembly responded, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised. 14For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes—neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance. The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way. 16I also devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. And I required all my servants to spend time working on the wall. 17I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands!
Read all of Nehemiah 5Nehemiah 5:15 word by word
וְהַפַּחוֹת֩ הָרִאשֹׁנִ֨ים אֲשֶׁר־לְפָנַ֜י הִכְבִּ֣ידוּ עַל־הָעָ֗ם וַיִּקְח֨וּ מֵהֶ֜ם בְּלֶ֤חֶם וָיַ֙יִן֙ אַחַר֙ כֶּֽסֶף־שְׁקָלִ֣ים אַרְבָּעִ֔ים גַּ֥ם נַעֲרֵיהֶ֖ם שָׁלְט֣וּ עַל־הָעָ֑ם וַאֲנִי֙ לֹא־עָשִׂ֣יתִי כֵ֔ן מִפְּנֵ֖י יִרְאַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But the formerרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · first: previousH7223
- governorsפֶּחָהpechâh · governorH6346
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- me were chargeableכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: heavyH3513
- unto the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and had takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- of them breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: allowanceH3899
- and wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
- besideאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- fortyאַרְבָּעִים'arbâ‛îym · fortyH705
- shekelsשֶׁ֫קֶלsheqel · shekelH8255
- of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- yea, evenגַּםgam · alsoH1571
- their servantsנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- bare ruleשָׁלַטshâlaţ · to domineerH7980
- but so didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- not I, becauseפָּנֶהpânîym · face: becauseH6440
- of the fearיִרְאָהyir'âh · fearH3374
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Nehemiah 5:15
- 1 Samuel 2:15Sometimes the servant would come even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting.
- 1 Samuel 8:15He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants.
- Proverbs 29:12If a ruler pays attention to liars, all his advisers will be wicked.
- Matthew 5:47If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.
- 2 Corinthians 11:9And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be.
- 2 Corinthians 12:13The only thing I failed to do, which I do in the other churches, was to become a financial burden to you. Please forgive me for this wrong!
- Nehemiah 5:9Then 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?
- Job 31:23That would be better than facing God’s judgment. For if the majesty of God opposes me, what hope is there?
- Psalms 112:1Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands.
- Psalms 147:11No, the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.
- Proverbs 16:6Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.
- Isaiah 50:10Who among you fears the Lord and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God.
- Luke 18:2“There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 5:15
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Forty shekels of silver - A daily sum from the entire province. For such a table as that kept by Nehemiah Nehemiah 5:18, this would be a very moderate payment.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-19Verses 14-19 Those who truly fear God, will not dare to do any thing cruel or unjust. Let all who are in public places remember that they are so placed to do good, not to enrich themselves. Nehemiah mentions it to God in prayer, not as if he had merited any favour from God, but to show that he depended upon God only, to make up to him what he had lost and laid out for his honour. Nehemiah evidently spake and acted as one that knew himself to be a sinner…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15The former governors were likely Nehemiah’s immediate predecessors, not Sheshbazzar (Ezra 1:8, around 90 years earlier) or Zerubbabel (Haggai 1:1, around 80 years earlier).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. the former governors ... had taken ... bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver--The income of Eastern governors is paid partly in produce, partly in money. "Bread" means all sorts of provision. The forty shekels of silver per day would amount to a yearly salary of £1800 sterling.Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 5:15
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 Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries