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class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/nehemiah/5.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/nehemiah/5.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />Still others were saying, &#8220We have had to borrow money to pay the king&#8217s tax on our fields and vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/nehemiah/5.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />And others said, “We have had to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay our taxes.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/nehemiah/5.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/nehemiah/5.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/nehemiah/5.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, <i>and that upon</i> our lands and vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/nehemiah/5.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax <i>on</i> our lands and vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/nehemiah/5.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />There also were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax <i>on</i> our fields and our vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/nehemiah/5.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />Also there were those who said, &#8220We have borrowed money for the king&#8217s tax on our fields and our vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/nehemiah/5.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />Also there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax <i>on</i> our fields and our vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/nehemiah/5.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />Also there were those who were saying, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax <i>on</i> our fields and our vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/nehemiah/5.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />There were also <i>others</i> who were saying, “We have borrowed money on our fields and vineyards for the [Persian] king’s [heavy] tax.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/nehemiah/5.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/nehemiah/5.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Still others were saying, &#8220We have borrowed money to pay the king&#8217s tax on our fields and vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/nehemiah/5.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and our vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/nehemiah/5.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />Then others said, "We had to borrow money from those in power to pay the government tax on our fields and vineyards. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/nehemiah/5.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and our vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/nehemiah/5.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />Others said, "We've had to borrow money to pay the king's taxes on our fields and vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/nehemiah/5.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />Still others said, "We had to borrow money to pay the royal tax on our fields and vineyards. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/nehemiah/5.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />Still others were saying "We've borrowed money against our fields and vineyards to pay the king's taxes. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/nehemiah/5.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />Still others were saying, ?We have borrowed money to pay the king?s tax on our fields and vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/nehemiah/5.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />Then there were those who said, "We have borrowed money to pay our taxes to the king on our fields and our vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/nehemiah/5.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />There were also some who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/nehemiah/5.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/nehemiah/5.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />There were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/nehemiah/5.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />And there are [those] who are saying, “We have borrowed money for the tribute of the king, [on] our fields, and our vineyards;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/nehemiah/5.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> And there are who are saying, 'We have borrowed money for the tribute of the king, on our fields, and our vineyards;<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/nehemiah/5.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And there are those saying, We borrowed silver for the king's tribute, our fields and our vineyards.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/nehemiah/5.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />And others said: Let us borrow money for the king's tribute, and let us give up our fields and vineyards: <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/nehemiah/5.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />And others were saying: “Let us borrow money for the tribute of the king, and let us surrender our fields and vineyards.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/nehemiah/5.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />Still others said: “To pay the king’s tax we have borrowed money on our fields and vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/nehemiah/5.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />And there were those who said, “We are having to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay the king’s tax.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/nehemiah/5.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />There were those who said, Let us borrow money from the king's tribute, and work our fields and our vineyards, that we may live.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/nehemiah/5.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />And there were those who said: “We shall borrow money from the taxes of the King, and we shall cultivate our fields and our vineyards, and we shall live!”<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/nehemiah/5.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />There were also that said: 'We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and our vineyards.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/nehemiah/5.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />And some said, We have borrowed money for the king's tributes: - our fields, and our vineyards, and houses <i>are pledged</i>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZsQrw7rBvgc?start=1036" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/nehemiah/5.htm">Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">3</span>Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.” <span class="reftext">4</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/3426.htm" title="3426: wə·yêš (Conj-w:: Adv) -- Being, substance, existence, is. "></a> <a href="/hebrew/834.htm" title="834: ’ă·šer (Pro-r) -- Who, which, that. A primitive relative pronoun; who, which, what, that; also when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.">Still others</a> <a href="/hebrew/559.htm" title="559: ’ō·mə·rîm (V-Qal-Prtcpl-mp) -- To utter, say. A primitive root; to say.">were saying,</a> <a href="/hebrew/3867.htm" title="3867: lā·wî·nū (V-Qal-Perf-1cp) -- A primitive root; properly, to twine, i.e. to unite, to remain; also to borrow or To lend.">“We have borrowed</a> <a href="/hebrew/3701.htm" title="3701: ḵe·sep̄ (N-ms) -- Silver, money. From kacaph; silver; by implication, money.">money to pay</a> <a href="/hebrew/4428.htm" title="4428: ham·me·leḵ (Art:: N-ms) -- King. From malak; a king.">the king’s</a> <a href="/hebrew/4060.htm" title="4060: lə·mid·daṯ (Prep-l:: N-fsc) -- Feminine of mad; properly, extension, i.e. Height or breadth; also a measure; hence a portion or a vestment; specifically, tribute.">tax</a> <a href="/hebrew/7704.htm" title="7704: śə·ḏō·ṯê·nū (N-mpc:: 1cp) -- Field, land. Or saday; from an unused root meaning to spread out; a field.">on our fields</a> <a href="/hebrew/3754.htm" title="3754: ū·ḵə·rā·mê·nū (Conj-w:: N-mpc:: 1cp) -- A vineyard. From an unused root of uncertain meaning; a garden or vineyard.">and vineyards.</a> </span><span class="reftext">5</span>We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/exodus/22-25.htm">Exodus 22:25</a></span><br />If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/25-35.htm">Leviticus 25:35-37</a></span><br />Now if your countryman becomes destitute and cannot support himself among you, then you are to help him as you would a foreigner or stranger, so that he can continue to live among you. / Do not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you. / You must not lend him your silver at interest or sell him your food for profit.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/23-19.htm">Deuteronomy 23:19-20</a></span><br />Do not charge your brother interest on money, food, or any other type of loan. / You may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/proverbs/22-7.htm">Proverbs 22:7</a></span><br />The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/58-6.htm">Isaiah 58:6-7</a></span><br />Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? / Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/18-8.htm">Ezekiel 18:8</a></span><br />He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/ezekiel/22-12.htm">Ezekiel 22:12</a></span><br />In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/5-42.htm">Matthew 5:42</a></span><br />Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/6-34.htm">Luke 6:34-35</a></span><br />And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. / But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/12-33.htm">Luke 12:33</a></span><br />Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/2-44.htm">Acts 2:44-45</a></span><br />All the believers were together and had everything in common. / Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/4-34.htm">Acts 4:34-35</a></span><br />There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell their property, bring the proceeds from the sales, / and lay them at the apostles’ feet for distribution to anyone as he had need.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/13-8.htm">Romans 13:8</a></span><br />Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/16-1.htm">1 Corinthians 16:1-2</a></span><br />Now about the collection for the saints, you are to do as I directed the churches of Galatia: / On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will be needed.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_corinthians/8-13.htm">2 Corinthians 8:13-15</a></span><br />It is not our intention that others may be relieved while you are burdened, but that there may be equality. / At the present time, your surplus will meet their need, so that in turn their surplus will meet your need. This way there will be equality. / As it is written: “He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little had no shortfall.”</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that on our lands and vineyards.</p><p class="hdg">the king's tribute</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/nehemiah/9-37.htm">Nehemiah 9:37</a></b></br> And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we <i>are</i> in great distress.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/deuteronomy/28-47.htm">Deuteronomy 28:47,48</a></b></br> Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all <i>things</i>; … </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/joshua/16-10.htm">Joshua 16:10</a></b></br> And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/2_kings/4-3.htm">Borrow</a> <a href="/2_kings/6-5.htm">Borrowed</a> <a href="/nehemiah/5-3.htm">Fields</a> <a href="/nehemiah/3-25.htm">King's</a> <a href="/nehemiah/5-3.htm">Lands</a> <a href="/ezra/7-17.htm">Money</a> <a href="/nehemiah/5-3.htm">Others</a> <a href="/ezra/4-13.htm">Pay</a> <a href="/ezra/7-24.htm">Tax</a> <a href="/ezra/7-24.htm">Tribute</a> <a href="/nehemiah/5-3.htm">Vine-Gardens</a> <a href="/nehemiah/5-3.htm">Vineyards</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/psalms/37-21.htm">Borrow</a> <a href="/jeremiah/15-10.htm">Borrowed</a> <a href="/nehemiah/5-5.htm">Fields</a> <a href="/nehemiah/6-6.htm">King's</a> <a href="/nehemiah/5-5.htm">Lands</a> <a href="/nehemiah/5-10.htm">Money</a> <a href="/nehemiah/8-12.htm">Others</a> <a href="/esther/3-2.htm">Pay</a> <a href="/esther/10-1.htm">Tax</a> <a href="/esther/10-1.htm">Tribute</a> <a href="/nehemiah/5-11.htm">Vine-Gardens</a> <a href="/nehemiah/5-5.htm">Vineyards</a><div class="vheading2">Nehemiah 5</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/nehemiah/5-1.htm">The Jews complain of their debt, mortgage, and bondage</a></span><br><span class="reftext">6. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/nehemiah/5-6.htm">Nehemiah rebukes the usurers, and causes them to make a covenant of restitution</a></span><br><span class="reftext">14. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/nehemiah/5-14.htm">He forbears his own allowance, and keeps hospitality</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/nehemiah/5.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/nehemiah/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/nehemiah/5.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>Still others were saying</b><br>This phrase indicates that there were multiple groups among the Israelites facing different issues. The context of <a href="/nehemiah/5.htm">Nehemiah 5</a> reveals a time of economic distress and social injustice among the returned exiles. The phrase suggests a communal outcry, highlighting the widespread nature of the problem. This communal aspect is reminiscent of other biblical instances where the people of Israel collectively express their grievances, such as in <a href="/exodus/2-23.htm">Exodus 2:23</a>, where the Israelites groan under Egyptian bondage.<p><b>We have borrowed money</b><br>Borrowing money in ancient times often led to severe consequences, including servitude or loss of property. The Law of Moses provided guidelines for lending and borrowing, emphasizing fairness and compassion (<a href="/exodus/22-25.htm">Exodus 22:25-27</a>, <a href="/leviticus/25-35.htm">Leviticus 25:35-37</a>). The need to borrow indicates a failure in the community to uphold these laws, reflecting a deeper spiritual and social crisis. This situation parallels the warnings in Proverbs about the dangers of debt (<a href="/proverbs/22-7.htm">Proverbs 22:7</a>).<p><b>to pay the king’s tax</b><br>The king referred to here is likely Artaxerxes I of Persia, under whose reign Nehemiah served as governor. The Persian Empire imposed heavy taxes on its provinces, which could be burdensome for the local populations. This taxation system is corroborated by historical records from the Persian period, which describe the administrative and fiscal policies of the empire. The burden of taxation is a recurring theme in the Bible, as seen in <a href="/1_samuel/8-10.htm">1 Samuel 8:10-18</a>, where Samuel warns the Israelites about the demands a king would place on them.<p><b>on our fields and vineyards</b><br>Fields and vineyards were vital to the agrarian economy of ancient Israel, representing both sustenance and wealth. The loss or mortgaging of these lands would have been devastating, threatening the livelihood and heritage of families. This situation echoes the warnings in <a href="/deuteronomy/28-30.htm">Deuteronomy 28:30-33</a> about the consequences of disobedience to God’s covenant, where foreign powers would consume the produce of the land. The mention of fields and vineyards also evokes the imagery of the Promised Land, a place of abundance and blessing, now under threat due to external pressures and internal failings.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/n/nehemiah.htm">Nehemiah</a></b><br>The central figure in the book, Nehemiah is a Jewish leader who is serving as the governor of Judah. He is known for his leadership in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and addressing social injustices among the people.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_jewish_people.htm">The Jewish People</a></b><br>The community in Jerusalem, including those who are struggling financially and are burdened by debt and taxes.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/t/the_king's_tax.htm">The King’s Tax</a></b><br>Refers to the financial obligations imposed by the Persian Empire on its subjects, which were a significant burden on the people of Judah.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/f/fields_and_vineyards.htm">Fields and Vineyards</a></b><br>Represents the primary means of livelihood for the Jewish people, which were under threat due to the financial pressures they faced.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/j/jerusalem.htm">Jerusalem</a></b><br>The city where these events are taking place, significant as the center of Jewish worship and identity.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/t/the_burden_of_debt.htm">The Burden of Debt</a></b><br>Financial burdens can lead to significant stress and hardship. It is important to seek wise counsel and make prudent financial decisions to avoid unnecessary debt.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/s/social_justice_and_compassion.htm">Social Justice and Compassion</a></b><br>As Christians, we are called to be aware of the injustices around us and to act with compassion and fairness, especially towards those who are economically disadvantaged.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/l/leadership_and_responsibility.htm">Leadership and Responsibility</a></b><br>Nehemiah’s response to the plight of his people teaches us about the importance of responsible leadership that prioritizes the well-being of the community.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/t/trust_in_god's_provision.htm">Trust in God’s Provision</a></b><br>In times of financial difficulty, it is crucial to trust in God’s provision and to seek His guidance in managing resources.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/c/community_support.htm">Community Support</a></b><br>The church community should be a place where members support one another, especially in times of financial need, reflecting the early church’s practice of sharing resources.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_nehemiah_5.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Nehemiah 5</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_to_reconcile_nehemiah_5_7's_contradiction.htm">Nehemiah 5:7 suggests interest-taking was widespread despite Mosaic Law prohibitions (e.g., Exodus 22:25); how can this contradiction be reconciled?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_no_records_of_jewish_servitude.htm">In Nehemiah 5:4-5, why do no contemporary records outside the Bible mention Jewish families losing their children to servitude under Persian rule?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_is_there_no_evidence_of_nehemiah's_famine.htm">In Nehemiah 5:3, how could a widespread famine have occurred without more historical or archaeological evidence supporting such socio-economic turmoil in Jerusalem at that time?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_does_failure_foster_growth.htm">What does the Bible say about handling debt?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/nehemiah/5.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(4) <span class= "bld">We have borrowed money for the king's tribute.</span>--Literally, <span class= "ital">we have made our fields and vineyards answerable</span> for the payment of the Persian tribute. They had pledged the coming produce.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/nehemiah/5.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 4.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">The king's tribute</span>. Judaea, like other Persian provinces, had to pay a tribute, partly in money and partly in kind, yearly to the Persian monarch (see the comment on Ezra 4:13); but there is no reason to believe that this burthen was generally felt as oppressive, nor that it was heavier in Judaea than elsewhere. But by the very poor even a small amount of direct taxation is felt as a grievance; and the necessity of meeting the demands of the tax-gatherer was in the ancient world often the turning-point, which compelled the contracting of a debt (Liv., 2:23); and so it seems to have been with these complainants, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">Still others</span><br /><span class="heb">אֲשֶׁ֣ר</span> <span class="translit">(’ă·šer)</span><br /><span class="parse">Pronoun - relative<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_834.htm">Strong's 834: </a> </span><span class="str2">Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that</span><br /><br /><span class="word">were saying,</span><br /><span class="heb">אֹמְרִ֔ים</span> <span class="translit">(’ō·mə·rîm)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_559.htm">Strong's 559: </a> </span><span class="str2">To utter, say</span><br /><br /><span class="word">“We have borrowed</span><br /><span class="heb">לָוִ֥ינוּ</span> <span class="translit">(lā·wî·nū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3867.htm">Strong's 3867: </a> </span><span class="str2">To twine, to unite, to remain, to borrow, to lend</span><br /><br /><span class="word">money [to pay]</span><br /><span class="heb">כֶ֖סֶף</span> <span class="translit">(ḵe·sep̄)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3701.htm">Strong's 3701: </a> </span><span class="str2">Silver, money</span><br /><br /><span class="word">the king's</span><br /><span class="heb">הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ</span> <span class="translit">(ham·me·leḵ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4428.htm">Strong's 4428: </a> </span><span class="str2">A king</span><br /><br /><span class="word">tax</span><br /><span class="heb">לְמִדַּ֣ת</span> <span class="translit">(lə·mid·daṯ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4060.htm">Strong's 4060: </a> </span><span class="str2">Extension, height, breadth, a measure, a portion, a vestment, tribute</span><br /><br /><span class="word">[on] our fields</span><br /><span class="heb">שְׂדֹתֵ֖ינוּ</span> <span class="translit">(śə·ḏō·ṯê·nū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7704.htm">Strong's 7704: </a> </span><span class="str2">Field, land</span><br /><br /><span class="word">and vineyards.</span><br /><span class="heb">וּכְרָמֵֽינוּ׃</span> <span class="translit">(ū·ḵə·rā·mê·nū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3754.htm">Strong's 3754: </a> </span><span class="str2">A garden, vineyard</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Nehemiah 5:4 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Nehemiah 5:4 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Nehemiah 5:4 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Nehemiah 5:4 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Nehemiah 5:4 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Nehemiah 5:4 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Nehemiah 5:4 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Nehemiah 5:4 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Nehemiah 5:4 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/nehemiah/5-4.htm">Nehemiah 5:4 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/nehemiah/5-4.htm">OT History: Nehemiah 5:4 There were also that said We have (Neh Ne) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/nehemiah/5-3.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Nehemiah 5:3"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Nehemiah 5:3" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/nehemiah/5-5.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Nehemiah 5:5"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Nehemiah 5:5" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>