There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
Parallel translations
- WEB There were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.
- BSB Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
- NKJV There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards.
- NASB There also were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards.
- NLT And others said, “We have had to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay our taxes.
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
Still others have borrowed money against their fields and vineyards to pay the king's tax. Imperial tribute adds to their crushing debt.
Overview
The Persian king's required tribute forces families to mortgage their land merely to pay taxes. Layered upon famine and food costs, this burden pushes them toward losing everything. The verse exposes how external obligations and internal exploitation together threatened to destroy the inheritance God had given His people in the land.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ezra 4:13Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
- Ezra 4:20There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
- 1 Kgs 9:21Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.
- Deut 28:47–48Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;
- Ezra 7:24Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
- Josh 16:10And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.
- Neh 9:37And 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 are in great distress.
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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 5:4 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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