The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do this because of my fear of God.
Parallel translations
- WEB But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people; but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.
- 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.
- 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.
- NASB But the previous governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so because of my fear of God.
- NLT The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Unlike former governors who taxed and lorded over the people, Nehemiah refrained because of the fear of God. Reverence for God shaped his ethics.
Overview
Previous governors had exploited the people through heavy levies and oppressive servants; Nehemiah broke the pattern out of godly fear. The fear of God, not public pressure, was his governing motive. This reverence as the root of righteous conduct is a thread running through Scripture's wisdom (Proverbs 1:7) and Nehemiah's whole administration.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Neh 5:9So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?
- Isa 50:10Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.
- Prov 16:6By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns aside from evil.
- Eccl 12:13–14When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
- Job 31:23For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
- Matt 5:47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?
- 2 Cor 11:9And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.
- Prov 29:12If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
- Ps 112:1Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.
- Ps 147:11The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.
- 1 Sam 8:15He will take a tenth of your grain and grape harvest and give it to his officials and servants.
- 2 Cor 12:13In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
- 1 Sam 2:15–17Even before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
- Luke 18:2–4“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men.
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Christ at the center
The rebuilt walls and renewed covenant community foreshadow the greater builder who gathers and secures a people for God, the one who declares 'I will build my church.'
How Nehemiah 5:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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