5 Yet now our flesh H1320 is as the flesh H1320 of our brethren, H251 our children H1121 as their children: H1121 and, lo, we bring into bondage H3533 our sons H1121 and our daughters H1323 to be servants, H5650 and some of our daughters H1323 are H3426 brought unto bondage H3533 already: neither is it in our power H410 H3027 to redeem them; for other men H312 have our lands H7704 and vineyards. H3754
Now there cried H6817 a certain H259 woman H802 of the wives H802 of the sons H1121 of the prophets H5030 unto Elisha, H477 saying, H559 Thy servant H5650 my husband H376 is dead; H4191 and thou knowest H3045 that thy servant H5650 did fear H3373 the LORD: H3068 and the creditor H5383 is come H935 to take H3947 unto him my two H8147 sons H3206 to be bondmen. H5650
And if thy brother H251 that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, H4134 and be sold H4376 unto thee; thou shalt not compel H5647 him to serve H5656 as a bondservant: H5650 But as an hired servant, H7916 and as a sojourner, H8453 he shall be with thee, and shall serve H5647 thee unto the year H8141 of jubile: H3104 And then shall he depart H3318 from thee, both he and his children H1121 with him, and shall return H7725 unto his own family, H4940 and unto the possession H272 of his fathers H1 shall he return. H7725 For they are my servants, H5650 which I brought forth H3318 out of the land H776 of Egypt: H4714 they shall not be sold H4376 as H4466 bondmen. H5650 Thou shalt not rule H7287 over him with rigour; H6531 but shalt fear H3372 thy God. H430
Is it not to deal H6536 thy bread H3899 to the hungry, H7457 and that thou bring H935 the poor H6041 that are cast out H4788 to thy house? H1004 when thou seest H7200 the naked, H6174 that thou cover H3680 him; and that thou hide H5956 not thyself from thine own flesh? H1320
And Laban H3837 said H559 to him, Surely H389 thou art my bone H6106 and my flesh. H1320 And he abode H3427 with him the space H3117 of a month. H2320
Now these are the judgments H4941 which thou shalt set H7760 before H6440 them. If thou buy H7069 an Hebrew H5680 servant, H5650 six H8337 years H8141 he shall serve: H5647 and in the seventh H7637 he shall go out H3318 free H2670 for nothing. H2600 If he came in H935 by himself, H1610 he shall go out H3318 by himself: H1610 if he were married, H1167 H802 then his wife H802 shall go out H3318 with him. If his master H113 have given H5414 him a wife, H802 and she have born H3205 him sons H1121 or daughters; H1323 the wife H802 and her children H3206 shall be her master's, H113 and he shall go out H3318 by himself. H1610 And if the servant H5650 shall plainly H559 say, H559 I love H157 my master, H113 my wife, H802 and my children; H1121 I will not go out H3318 free: H2670 Then his master H113 shall bring H5066 him unto the judges; H430 he shall also bring H5066 him to the door, H1817 or unto the door post; H4201 and his master H113 shall bore H7527 his ear H241 through with an aul; H4836 and he shall serve H5647 him for ever. H5769 And if a man H376 sell H4376 his daughter H1323 to be a maidservant, H519 she shall not go out H3318 as the menservants H5650 do. H3318 If she please H7451 H5869 not her master, H113 who hath betrothed H3259 her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: H6299 to sell H4376 her unto a strange H5237 nation H5971 he shall have no power, H4910 seeing he hath dealt deceitfully H898 with her. And if he have betrothed H3259 her unto his son, H1121 he shall deal H6213 with her after the manner H4941 of daughters. H1323 If he take H3947 him another H312 wife; her food, H7607 her raiment, H3682 and her duty of marriage, H5772 shall he not diminish. H1639 And if he do H6213 not these three H7969 unto her, then shall she go out H3318 free H2600 without money. H3701
But forasmuch as G1161 he G846 had G2192 not G3361 to pay, G591 his G846 lord G2962 commanded G2753 him G846 to be sold, G4097 and G2532 his G846 wife, G1135 and G2532 children, G5043 and G2532 all G3956 that G3745 he had, G2192 and G2532 payment to be made. G591
Hearken, G191 my G3450 beloved G27 brethren, G80 Hath G1586 not G3756 God G2316 chosen G1586 the poor G4434 of this G5127 world G2889 rich G4145 in G1722 faith, G4102 and G2532 heirs G2818 of the kingdom G932 which G3739 he hath promised G1861 to them that love G25 him? G846 But G1161 ye G5210 have despised G818 the poor. G4434 Do G2616 not G3756 rich men G4145 oppress G2616 you, G5216 and G2532 draw G846 G1670 you G5209 before G1519 the judgment seats? G2922
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Nehemiah 5
Commentary on Nehemiah 5 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 5
How bravely Nehemiah, as a wise and faithful governor, stood upon his guard against the attacks of enemies abroad, we read in the foregoing chapter. Here we have him no less bold and active to redress grievances at home, and, having kept them from being destroyed by their enemies, to keep them from destroying one another. Here is,
Neh 5:1-5
We have here the tears of the oppressed, which Solomon considered, Eccl. 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, Ps. 82:4. Hard times and hard hearts made the poor miserable.
Neh 5:6-13
It should seem the foregoing complaint was made to Nehemiah at the time when he had his head and hands as full as possible of the public business about building the wall; yet, perceiving it to be just, he did not reject it because it was unseasonable; he did not chide the petitioners, nor fall into a passion with them, for disturbing him when they saw how much he had to do, a fault which men of business are too often guilty of; nor did he so much as adjourn the hearing of the cause or proceedings upon it till he had more leisure. The case called for speedy interposition, and therefore he applied himself immediately to the consideration of it, knowing that, let him build Jerusalem's walls ever so high, so thick, so strong, the city could not be safe while such abuses as these were tolerated. Now observe, What method he took for the redress of this grievance which was so threatening to the public.
Neh 5:14-19
Nehemiah had mentioned his own practice, as an inducement to the nobles not to burden the poor, no, not with just demands; here he relates more particularly what his practice was, not in pride or vain-glory, nor to pass a compliment upon himself, but as an inducement both to his successors and to the inferior magistrates to be as tender as might be of the people's ease.