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Nehemiah 5:1

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— Then came there to be a great outcry of the people and their wives,—against their brethren the Jews.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— And there is a great cry of the people and their wives, concerning their brethren the Jews,
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— Now there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— Nowe there was a great crie of the people, and of their wiues against their brethren the Iewes.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— And there was a great crie of the people, and of their wiues, against their brethren the Iewes.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— THEN there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— And the cry of the people and their wives [was] great against their brethren the Jews.
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Yehudim.

Strong's Numbers & Hebrew NamesHebrew Old TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
And there was x1961
(1961) Complement
הָיָה
hayah
{haw-yaw'}
A primitive root (compare H1933); to exist, that is, be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary).
a great 1419
{1419} Prime
גָּדוֹל
gadowl
{gaw-dole'}
From H1431; great (in any sense); hence older; also insolent.
cry 6818
{6818} Prime
צְעָקָה
tsa`aqah
{tsah-ak-aw'}
From H6817; a shriek.
of the people 5971
{5971} Prime
עַם
`am
{am}
From H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively a flock.
and of their wives 802
{0802} Prime
אִשָּׁה
'ishshah
{ish-shaw'}
The first form is the feminine of H0376 or H0582; the second form is an irregular plural; a woman (used in the same wide sense as H0582).
against x413
(0413) Complement
אֵל
'el
{ale}
(Used only in the shortened constructive form (the second form)); a primitive particle, properly denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, that is, near, with or among; often in general, to.
their brethren 251
{0251} Prime
אָח
'ach
{awkh}
A primitive word; a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or resemblance (like H0001)).
the Yæhûđîm יְהוּדִים. 3064
{3064} Prime
יְהוּדִי
Y@huwdiy
{yeh-hoo-dee'}
Patronymic from H3063; a Jehudite (that is, Judaite or Jew), or descendant of Jehudah (that is, Judah).
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Nehemiah 5:1-5

_ _ Nehemiah 5:1-5. The people complain of their debt, mortgage, and bondage.

_ _ there was a great cry of the people ... against their brethren — Such a crisis in the condition of the Jews in Jerusalem — fatigued with hard labor and harassed by the machinations of restless enemies, the majority of them poor, and the bright visions which hope had painted of pure happiness on their return to the land of their fathers being unrealized — must have been very trying to their faith and patience. But, in addition to these vexatious oppressions, many began to sink under a new and more grievous evil. The poor made loud complaints against the rich for taking advantage of their necessities, and grinding them by usurious exactions. Many of them had, in consequence of these oppressions, been driven to such extremities that they had to mortgage their lands and houses to enable them to pay the taxes to the Persian government, and ultimately even to sell their children for slaves to procure the means of subsistence. The condition of the poorer inhabitants was indeed deplorable; for, besides the deficient harvests caused by the great rains (Ezra 10:9; also Haggai 1:6-11), a dearth was now threatened by the enemy keeping such a multitude pent up in the city, and preventing the country people bringing in provisions.

Matthew Henry's Commentary

Nehemiah 5:1-5

_ _ We have here the tears of the oppressed, which Solomon considered, Ecclesiastes 4:1. Let us consider them as here they are dropped before Nehemiah, whose office it was, as governor, to deliver the poor and needy, and rid them out of the hand of the wicked oppressors, Psalms 82:4. Hard times and hard hearts made the poor miserable.

_ _ I. The times they lived in were hard. There was a dearth of corn (Nehemiah 5:3), probably for want of rain, with which God had chastised their neglect of his house (Haggai 1:9-11) and the non-payment of their church-dues, Malachi 3:9, Malachi 3:10. Thus foolish sinful men bring God's judgments upon themselves, and then fret and complain of them. When the markets are high, and provisions scarce and dear, the poor soon feel from it, and are pinched by it. Blessed be God for the mercy, and God deliver us from the sin, of fulness of bread, Ezekiel 16:49. That which made the scarcity here complained of the more grievous was that their sons and their daughters were many, Nehemiah 5:2. The families that were most necessitous were most numerous; here were the mouths, but where was the meat? Some have estates and no children to inherit them; others have children and no estates to leave them. Those who have both have reason to be thankful; those who have neither may the more easily be content. Those who have great families and little substance must learn to live by faith in God's providence and promise; and those who have little families and great substance must make their abundance a supply for the wants of others. But this was not all: as corn was dear, so the taxes were high; the king's tribute must be paid, Nehemiah 5:4. This mark of their captivity still remained upon them. Perhaps it was a poll-money that was required, and then, their sons and their daughters being many, it rose the higher. The more they had to maintain (a hard case!) the more they had to pay. Now, it seems, they had not wherewithal of their own to buy corn and pay taxes, but were necessitated to borrow. Their families came poor out of Babylon; they had been at great expense in building them houses, and had not yet got up their strength when these new burdens came upon them. The straits of poor housekeepers who make hard shift to get an honest livelihood, and sometimes want what is fitting for them and their families, are well worthy the compassionate consideration of those who either with their wealth or with their power are in a capacity to help them.

_ _ II. The persons they dealt with were hard. Money must be had, but it must be borrowed; and those that lent them money, taking advantage of their necessity, were very hard upon them and made a prey of them. 1. They exacted interest from them at twelve per cent, the hundredth part every month, Nehemiah 5:11. If men borrow large sums to trade with, to increase their stocks, or to purchase land, there is no reason why the lender should not share with the borrower in his profit; or if to spend upon their lusts, or repair what they have so spent, why should they not pay for their extravagances? But if the poor borrow to maintain their families, and we be able to help them, it is certain we ought either to lend freely what they have occasion for, or (if they be not likely to repay it) to give freely something towards it. Nay, 2. They forced them to mortgage to them their lands and houses for the securing of the money (Nehemiah 5:3), and not only so, but took the profits of them for interest (Nehemiah 5:5, compare Nehemiah 5:11), that by degrees they might make themselves masters of all they had. Yet this was not the worst. 3. They took their children for bond-servants, to be enslaved or sold at pleasure, Nehemiah 5:5. This they complain of most sensibly, as that which touched them in a tender part, and they aggravate it with this: “Our children are as their children, as dear to us as theirs are to them; not only of the same human nature, and entitled to the honours and liberties of that (Malachi 2:10; Job 31:15), but of the same holy nation, free-born Israelites, and dignified with the same privileges. Our flesh carries in it the sacred seal of the covenant of circumcision, as well as the flesh of our brethren; yet our heirs must be their slaves, and it is not in our power to redeem them.” This they made a humble remonstrance of to Nehemiah, not only because they saw he was a great man that could relieve them, but a good man that would. Whither should the injured poor flee for succour but to the shields of the earth? Whither but to the chancery, to the charity, in the royal breast, and those deputed by it for relief against the summum justhe extremity of the law?

_ _ Lastly, We will leave Nehemiah hearing the complaint, and enquiring into the truth of the complainants' allegations (for the clamours of the poor are not always just), while we sit down and look, (1.) With a gracious compassion upon the oppressed, and lament the hardships which many in the world are groaning under; putting our souls into their souls' stead, and remembering in our prayers and succours those that are burdened, as burdened with them. (2.) With a gracious indignation at the oppressors, and abhorrence of their pride and cruelty, who drink the tears, the blood, of those they have under their feet. But let those who show no mercy expect judgment without mercy. It was an aggravation of the sin of these oppressing Jews that they were themselves so lately delivered out of the house of bondage, which obliged them in gratitude to undo the heavy burdens, Isaiah 58:6.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

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Geneva Bible Translation Notes

Nehemiah 5:1

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives (a) against their brethren the Jews.

(a) Against the rich who oppressed them.

Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance
a great cry:

Exodus 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
Exodus 22:25-27 If thou lend money to [any of] my people [that is] poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. ... For that [is] his covering only, it [is] his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I [am] gracious.
Job 31:38-39 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; ... If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:
Job 34:28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts [is] the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
Luke 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
James 5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

their brethren:

Leviticus 25:35-37 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: [yea, though he be] a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. ... Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.
Deuteronomy 15:7-11 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: ... For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
Acts 7:26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
1 Corinthians 6:6-8 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. ... Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that [your] brethren.
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Chain-Reference Bible SearchCross References with Concordance

Ex 3:7; 22:25. Lv 25:35. Dt 15:7. Jb 31:38; 34:28. Is 5:7. Lk 18:7. Ac 7:26. 1Co 6:6. Jm 5:4.

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