Revised Literal Translation
Nehemiah 5:15
15But 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.
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
13Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised Yhwh. And the people did according to this promise. 14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. 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. 16Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work. 17Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.
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
- 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 2:15Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
- 1 Samuel 8:15And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
- Proverbs 29:12If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.
- Matthew 5:47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
- 2 Corinthians 11:9And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.
- 2 Corinthians 12:13For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other Assemblies, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.
- Nehemiah 5:9Also 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?
- Job 31:23For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.
- Psalms 112:1Praise Yah. Blessed is the man that feareth Yhwh, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
- Psalms 147:11Yhwh taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
- Proverbs 16:6By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of Yhwh men depart from evil.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
- Isaiah 50:10Who is among you that feareth Yhwh, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of Yhwh, and stay upon his God.
- Luke 18:2Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries