Nehemiah 5:4 - Forerunner Commentary

Nehemiah 5:4

2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”

3 There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.”

4 There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards.

5 Yet now ^aour flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we ^bare 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.”

6 And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.

7 After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, ^a“Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I² called a great assembly against them.

8 And I said to them, “According to our ability we have ^aredeemed 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.

9 Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk ^ain the fear of our God ^bbecause of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?

10 I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this¹ usury!

Verse Comparison: Nehemiah 5:4

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American Standard Version
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute `upon' our fields and our vineyards.

Amplified® Bible
Others said, We have borrowed money on our fields and vineyards to pay the [Persian] king's heavy tax.

Contemporary English Version
Then others said, "We had to borrow money from those in power to pay the government tax on our fields and vineyards.

Darby English Version
And there were that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and vineyards;

Good News Bible
Still others said, "We had to borrow money to pay the royal tax on our fields and vineyards.

King James Version
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

New American Standard Bible
Also there were those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax {on} our fields and our vineyards.

New International Version
Still others were saying, "We have had to borrow money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards.

New King James Version
There were also those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our lands and vineyards.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
Also some said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards.

Revised Standard Version
And there were those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax upon our fields and our vineyards.

Young's Literal Translation
And there are who are saying, `We have borrowed money for the tribute of the king, `on' our fields, and our vineyards;

New English Translation
Then there were those who said, “We have borrowed money to pay our taxes to the king¹ on our fields and our vineyards.

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