Nehemiah 5:18

Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was provided. But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Nehemiah addresses the Jewish officials and community while documenting his governance during Jerusalem’s wall reconstruction. He speaks at the conclusion of his account of daily provisions to explain his refusal of the governor’s food allowance.

The words — The Hebrew נַעֲשֶׂה (na'aseh) means "was made" or "was prepared," and לְ/יוֹם (le-yom) translates to "for a day." These terms frame the verse around a fixed, routine supply rather than a one-time event.

The thread — The passage contrasts Nehemiah’s restraint with Solomon’s massive daily provisions listed in 1 Kings 4:22. It aligns with the pattern in Psalm 37:21 and 37:26 where righteous conduct involves giving and lending rather than taking.

Why it lands — The text states that Nehemiah withheld his legal food allowance because the people’s existing burden was too heavy. It requires readers to evaluate leadership by measuring authority against the actual capacity of those served.

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

וַאֲשֶׁר֩va./'a.Sherand/ [that] which הָיָ֨הha.Yahit was נַעֲשֶׂ֜הna.'a.Sehmade לְי֣וֹםle./Yomfor/ a day אֶחָ֗ד'e.Chadone שׁ֣וֹרShor[was] an ox אֶחָ֞ד'e.Chadone צֹ֠אןtzonsheep שֵׁשׁ־shesh-six בְּרֻר֤וֹתbe.ru.Rotchosen וְצִפֳּרִים֙ve./tzi.po.Rimand/ poultry נַֽעֲשׂוּ־na.'a.su-they were madeלִ֔יL/ifor/ meוּבֵ֨יןu./Veinand/ between עֲשֶׂ֧רֶת'a.Se.retten יָמִ֛יםya.Mimdays בְּכָל־be./kholin/ all יַ֖יִןYa.yinwine לְהַרְבֵּ֑הle./har.Behto/ abundance וְעִם־ve./'im-and/ beside זֶ֗הZehthis לֶ֤חֶםLe.chem[the] food of הַפֶּחָה֙ha./pe.Chahthe/ governor לֹ֣אlo'not בִקַּ֔שְׁתִּיvi.Kash.tiI sought כִּֽי־ki-for כָֽבְדָ֥הkha.ve.Dahit was heavy הָעֲבֹדָ֖הha./'a.vo.Dahthe/ service עַל־'al-on הָעָ֥םha./'Amthe/ people הַזֶּֽה׃ha./Zeh<the>/ this

King James Version

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 store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

Cross-references

1 Kings 4:22 Solomon’s provisions for a single day were thirty cors of fine flour, sixty cors of meal,
Psalms 37:21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.
Psalms 37:26 They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing.
Nehemiah 5:14 Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (twelve years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.