Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah · Chapter 5

Nehemiah 5:8

1And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.2For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.3Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.4There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.6And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.7Then 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.8And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.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?10I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.11Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.12Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.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 the LORD. 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.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.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.18Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.19Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
8And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, that were sold unto the nations; and would ye even sell your brethren, and should they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found never a word.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and I said !וָאֹמְרָ֣הva-'o-me-RAHH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

weאֲנַ֣חְנוּ'a-NACH-nuH0587
we

אֲנוּ (a.nu) we (first pers. pl. -usually used for emphasis) Another spelling of a.nach.nu (אֲנַ֫חְנוּ "we" H0587)

we have boughtקָ֠נִינוּKA-ni-nuH7069
to buy

קְנָא (qe.na) (P'al) to acquire, buy, purchase Aramaic of qa.nah (קָנָה "to buy" H7069)

countrymen ourאַחֵ֨ינוּ'a-CHEI-nuH0251I
brother: male-sibling

אָח (ach) : male-sibling 1) brother 1a) brother of same parents 1b) half-brother (same father) 1c) relative, kinship, same tribe 1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship) 1e) (fig.) of resemblance

the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִ֜יםhai-ye-hu-DIMH3064
Jew

יְהוּדִי (ye.hu.di) Someone descended from Judah (H3063) and possibly other tribes, first mentioned at 2Ki.25.25 § Jew

who sold themselvesהַנִּמְכָּרִ֤יםha-nim-ka-RIMH4376
to sell

מָכַר (ma.khar) 1) to sell 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sell 1a2) seller (participle) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be sold 1b2) to sell oneself 1b3) to be given over to death 1c) (Hithpael) to sell oneself

to the nationsלַגּוֹיִם֙la-go-YIMH1471A
nation

גּוֹי (goy) 1) nation, people 1a) nation, people 1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people 1a2) of descendants of Abraham 1a3) of Israel 1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

according to [the] sufficiencyכְּדֵ֣יke-DEIH1767
sufficiency

דַּי (day) 1) sufficiency, enough 1a) enough 1b) for, according to the abundance of, out of the abundance of, as often as

and alsoוְגַם־ve-gam-H1571
also

גַּם (gam) 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike

youאַתֶּ֛ם'a-TEMH0859D
you

אַנְתּוּן (an.tun) you, thou (second pers. pl.) Aramaic of at.tem (אַתֶּם "you(m.p.)" H0859D)

you soldתִּמְכְּר֥וּtim-ke-RUH4376
to sell

מָכַר (ma.khar) 1) to sell 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sell 1a2) seller (participle) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be sold 1b2) to sell oneself 1b3) to be given over to death 1c) (Hithpael) to sell oneself

countrymen yourאֲחֵיכֶ֖ם'a-chei-KHEMH0251I
brother: male-sibling

אָח (ach) : male-sibling 1) brother 1a) brother of same parents 1b) half-brother (same father) 1c) relative, kinship, same tribe 1d) each to the other (reciprocal relationship) 1e) (fig.) of resemblance

and they were soldוְנִמְכְּרוּ־ve-nim-ke-ru-H4376
to sell

מָכַר (ma.khar) 1) to sell 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sell 1a2) seller (participle) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be sold 1b2) to sell oneself 1b3) to be given over to death 1c) (Hithpael) to sell oneself

and they were silentוַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּvai-ya-cha-RI-shuH2790B
be quiet

חָרֵשׁ (cha.resh) 1) to be silent, be dumb, be speechless, be deaf 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be silent 1a2) to be deaf 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to be silent, keep quiet 1b2) to make silent 1b3) to be deaf, show deafness 1c) (Hithpael) to remain silent

and notוְלֹ֥אve-LO'H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

they foundמָצְא֖וּma-tze-'UH4672
to find

מָצָא (ma.tsa) 1) to find, attain to 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to find 1a1a) to find, secure, acquire, get (thing sought) 1a1b) to find (what is lost) 1a1c) to meet, encounter 1a1d) to find (a condition) 1a1e) to learn, devise 1a2) to find out 1a2a) to find out 1a2b) to detect 1a2c) to guess 1a3) to come upon, light upon 1a3a) to happen upon, meet, fall in with 1a3b) to hit 1a3c) to befall 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be found 1b1a) to be encountered, be lighted upon, be discovered 1b1b) to appear, be recognised 1b1c) to be discovered, be detected 1b1d) to be gained, be secured 1b2) to be, be found 1b2a) to be found in …

a wordדָּבָֽר׃ סda-VARH1697G
word

דָּבָר (da.var) : word/speech/command 1) speech, word, speaking, thing 1a) speech 1b) saying, utterance 1c) word, words 1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.