Tree of Life Version
Nehemiah 5:15
15The earlier governors, those preceding me, placed heavy burdens on the people, and took bread and wine from them, in addition to forty shekels of silver. Their attendants also lorded over the people. But I did not do so, out of 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 out my garment, and said, “In this way may God shake out from His house and from His property every one that does not keep this promise. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!” And all the assembly replied, “Amen!” and they praised Adonai. So the people did according to this promise. 14Moreover, from the day when I was appointed to be the governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes—twelve years—neither I, nor my relatives have eaten the bread allocated to the governor. The earlier governors, those preceding me, placed heavy burdens on the people, and took bread and wine from them, in addition to forty shekels of silver. Their attendants also lorded over the people. But I did not do so, out of fear of God. 16Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall, without even buying a field. All my attendants were gathered there for the work. 17Furthermore, 150 Judeans and officials, as well as those that came to us from the nations around us, were at my table.
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 2:15Even before they burned the fat, the kohen’s servant would come and say to the one offering sacrifice, “Give the kohen meat for roasting, since he will not accept boiled meat from you—only raw.”
- 1 Samuel 8:15He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage and give it to his officials and slaves.
- Proverbs 29:12If a ruler listens to lies, all his servants will be wicked.
- Matthew 5:47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than anyone else? Even the pagans do that, don’t they?
- 2 Corinthians 11:9When I was present with you and I was in need, I did not burden anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. In everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and I will continue to do so.
- 2 Corinthians 12:13For in what respect were you treated worse than the rest of Messiah’s communities—except that I myself did not burden you? Pardon me this injustice!
- Nehemiah 5:9Then I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good! Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God, in order to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?
- Job 31:23For calamity from God was a terror to me, and because of His majesty, I could do nothing.
- Psalms 112:1Halleluyah! Happy is the man who fears Adonai, who delights greatly in His mitzvot.
- Psalms 147:11Adonai delights in those who revere Him, in those who trust in His lovingkindness.
- Proverbs 16:6By mercy and truth is iniquity atoned, and by the fear of Adonai one avoids evil.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13A final word, when all has been heard: Fear God and keep His mitzvot! For this applies to all mankind.
- Isaiah 50:10Who among you fears Adonai? Who hears the voice of His servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the Name of Adonai and lean on his God.
- Luke 18:2He said, “There was a judge in a certain city who neither feared God nor respected 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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries