Nehemiah Chapter 5

The Jews complain of debts and service


5:1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִים
Transliteration: hayyᵊhûḏîm – Jew (74x), Judah (1x) The term ‘Yehudi’ (derived from Yeddah, or Judah, fourth son of Jacob) has become a synonym for Jew. Yehudah’s mother gave him that name because she said, ‘I will praise God.’ Yehudah is thus a declaration that Jews always praise God, hence the common name Yehudi regardless of tribal origin (Sfas Emes) for more info click here
.
5:2 Because some were that saying, [With] our sons, and our daughters, we are many. Let us take up grain for them, so that we may eat, and live.
5:3 Some also were saying, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy grain, because of the famine.
5:4 There were [some] also saying, We have borrowed money for the king’s tax, and that on our lands and vineyards.
5:5 Yet now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our sons like their sons: and, see, we are bringing
our sons and our daughters into bondage  to be slaves, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already: There is nothing in our power to redeem them; because other men have our lands and vineyards.

Nehemiah rebukes money lenders


5:6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
5:7 Then I took counsel from within myself, and I scolded the nobles, and the rulers, and said to them, ya’ll each and every one are lending at interest from his brother. And I held a great assembly against them.
5:8 And I said to them, According our ability have redeemed our brothers the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִים
Transliteration: hayyᵊhûḏîm – Jew (74x), Judah (1x) The term ‘Yehudi’ (derived from Yeddah, or Judah, fourth son of Jacob) has become a synonym for Jew. Yehudah’s mother gave him that name because she said, ‘I will praise God.’ Yehudah is thus a declaration that Jews always praise God, hence the common name Yehudi regardless of tribal origin (Sfas Emes) for more info click here
, which were sold to the nationsלַגּוֹיִם
Transliteration: lagôyim – Hebrew Noun: Common Masculine Plural Absolute (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—the Gentiles, the heathen, the nations, the people. For more info click here
. And will ya’ll sell your brothers? Or shall they be sold to us? Then held they were silent, and didn’t say a word.
5:9 Also I said, The thing ya’ll do isn’t goodטוֹב
Transliteration: ṭôḇ Pronunciation: tobe – good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well):—beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, fair, (be in) favor, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -lie, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, like (best), loving, merry, × most, pleasant, please, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well(-favored). For more info click here
. Shouldn’t ya’ll walk in the fear of our Elohim אֱלֹהֵינוּ
Pronounced:’ĕlōhênû – Hebrew Noun: Common Masculine Plural Construct root word is Elohim for more info on the word click here
because of the reproach of the nationsהַגּוֹיִם
Transliteration: hagôyim – Hebrew Noun: Common Masculine Plural Absolute (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—the Gentiles, the heathen, the nations, the people. For more info click here
our enemies?
5:10 I likewise, and my brothers, and my servants, are lending them money and grain: Please, let us leave off this interest.
5:11 Please, give [it] to them, today, their lands, their vineyards, their olive yards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of their money, and of the grain, the wine, and the oil, that ya’ll have taken from them.
5:12 Then
they said , We will return, and will require nothing from them. So will we do like you say. Then I called the priestsהַכֹּהֲנִים
Transliteration: hakōhănîm – Hebrew Noun: Common Masculine Singular Absolute Kohenim = priests, Plural principal officers or chief rulers For more info click here
, and took an oath from them, that they would do according to this promise.
5:13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So may Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator
shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise, may he
be shaken out this way, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised YAHWEH יְהֹוָה
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here
. And the people did according to this promise.
5:14 And from the time that I was chosen to be their governor in the land of Judahיְהוּדָה
Modern: Yəhūda, Tiberian: Yŭhūḏā), literally “thanksgiving” or “praise,” is the noun form of the root Y-D-H (ידה), “to thank” or “to praise. The fourth of the six sons of Jacob and Leah. Also referring to the tribe of Judah or The Kingdom of Judah later referred to as Judea – For more info click here
, from the twentieth year even to the thirty second year of Artaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּא
Artaḥšaśtəʾ, אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא ʾArtaḥšastəʾ, or אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתָּא ʾArtaḥšaśtāʾwas the fifth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, from 465 to December 424 BC.He was the third son of Xerxes I. In Greek sources he is also surnamed “long-handed” (Ancient Greek: μακρόχειρ Makrókheir; Latin: Longimanus), allegedly because his right hand was longer than his left. For more info click here
the king, that is, twelve years, My brothers and I didn’t eat the bread of the governor.
5:15 But the former governors that had been before me were hard on the people, and had taken from them bread and wine, besides forty shekelsשקל plural שקלים
Shekel or sheqel sheqalim or shekels, is an ancient Mesopotamian coin, usually of silver. A shekel was first a unit of weight—very roughly 11 grams (0.35 ozt)—and became currency in ancient Tyre and ancient Carthage and then in ancient Israel under the Maccabees.
of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people. But I didn’t, because of the fear of Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator
.
5:16 Yes, I also continued in the work of this wall a
nd all my servants were gathered there to work. And we didn’t buy any land either.
5:17 And
at my table [were] one hundred and fifty of the Jews וְהַיְּהוּדִים
Transliteration: vᵊhayyᵊhûḏîm – Jew (74x), Judah (1x) The term ‘Yehudi’ (derived from Yeddah, or Judah, fourth son of Jacob) has become a synonym for Jew. Yehudah’s mother gave him that name because she said, ‘I will praise God.’ Yehudah is thus a declaration that Jews always praise God, hence the common name Yehudi regardless of tribal origin (Sfas Emes) for more info click here
and rulers, beside those that came to us from the nationsהַגּוֹיִם
Transliteration: hagôyim – Hebrew Noun: Common Masculine Plural Absolute (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—the Gentiles, the heathen, the nations, the people. For more info click here
that are around us.
5:18 Now 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 of all sorts of wine plentifully. And with this I didn’t seek the bread of the governor, because the bondage was hard on these people.
5:19 Think upon me, my Elohimאֱלֹהַי
Pronounced:’ĕlōhay In Hebrew grammatical construct is a way of connecting noun-noun pairs. In English, we use “of”, but in Hebrew there are quite a few ways of doing this. של is usually used in place of “of” in Hebrew, but in this case, we modify the first word, with the suffix “ey” (which is what we do for plural words, which God’s name is in Torah), i.e. God of Abraham becomes Elohei Avraham. also can be of his, my or their – See Elohim for more info click here
, for goodלְטוֹבָה
Transliteration: lᵊṭôḇâ – good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well):—beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, fair, (be in) favor, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -lie, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, like (best), loving, merry, × most, pleasant, please, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well(-favored). For more info click here
, according to all that I have done for these people.

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