Nehemiah 5:15

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Nehemiah addresses the Jewish nobles and officials in Jerusalem after twelve years of governing Judah under King Artaxerxes. He contrasts his own conduct with that of his predecessors who exploited the populace.

The words — The Hebrew verb הִכְבִּידוּ (hikh.Bi.du) literally means "they made heavy" or "they burdened heavily," describing the governors' imposition of bread, wine, and forty shekels of silver on the people.

The thread — This theme of governing with reverence for God rather than exploitation appears in Nehemiah 5:9, where officials are urged to fear God to avoid reproach, and is echoed in Proverbs 16:6 regarding turning from evil through reverence for the LORD.

Why it lands — The text demands that leaders reject financial exploitation and prioritize duty over personal gain, grounding their restraint in reverence for God rather than public opinion.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהַפַּחוֹת֩ve./ha./pa.chOtand/ the/ governors הָרִאשֹׁנִ֨יםha./ri.sho.Nim<the>/ former אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-who לְפָנַ֜יle./fa.Na/i[were] <to>/ before/ me הִכְבִּ֣ידוּhikh.Bi.duthey made heavy עַל־'al-on הָעָ֗םha./'Amthe/ people וַיִּקְח֨וּva/i.yik.Chuand/ they tookמֵהֶ֜םme./Hemfrom/ themבְּלֶ֤חֶםbe./Le.chem<in>/ food וָיַ֙יִן֙va./Ya.yinand/ wine אַחַר֙'a.Charafter כֶּֽסֶף־ke.sef-silver שְׁקָלִ֣יםshe.ka.Limshekels אַרְבָּעִ֔ים'ar.ba.'Imforty גַּ֥םgamalso נַעֲרֵיהֶ֖םna.'a.rei./Hemservants/ their שָׁלְט֣וּshal.Tuthey domineered עַל־'al-over הָעָ֑םha./'Amthe/ people וַאֲנִי֙va./'a.Niand/ I לֹא־lo'-not עָשִׂ֣יתִי'a.Si.tiI did כֵ֔ןKhenthus מִפְּנֵ֖יmi./pe.Nei<from>/ because of יִרְאַ֥תyir.'At[the] fear of אֱלֹהִֽים׃'E.lo.HimGod

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Nehemiah 5:9 So 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?
Proverbs 16:6 By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns aside from evil.
Isaiah 50:10 Who 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.
Job 31:23 For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 When 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.
Matthew 5:47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?
2 Corinthians 11:9 And 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.
1 Samuel 8:15 He will take a tenth of your grain and grape harvest and give it to his officials and servants.
Psalms 112:1 Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.
Psalms 147:11 The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.