8 And I said H559 unto them, We after our ability H1767 have redeemed H7069 our brethren H251 the Jews, H3064 which were sold H4376 unto the heathen; H1471 and will ye even sell H4376 your brethren? H251 or shall they be sold H4376 unto us? Then held they their peace, H2790 and found H4672 nothing H1697 to answer.
And if a sojourner H1616 or stranger H8453 wax rich H5381 by thee, H3027 and thy brother H251 that dwelleth by him wax poor, H4134 and sell H4376 himself unto the stranger H1616 or sojourner H8453 by thee, or to the stock H6133 of the stranger's H1616 family: H4940 After H310 that he is sold H4376 he may be redeemed again; H1353 one H259 of his brethren H251 may redeem H1350 him: Either his uncle, H1730 or his uncle's H1730 son, H1121 may redeem H1350 him, or any that is nigh H7607 of kin H1320 unto him of his family H4940 may redeem H1350 him; or if he be able, H5381 he may redeem H1350 himself. H3027
And he that stealeth H1589 a man, H376 and selleth H4376 him, or if he be found H4672 in his hand, H3027 he shall surely H4191 be put to death. H4191
If a man H376 be found H4672 stealing H1589 any H5315 of his brethren H251 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and maketh merchandise H6014 of him, or selleth H4376 him; then that thief H1590 shall die; H4191 and thou shalt put H1197 evil H7451 away H1197 from among H7130 you.
The nobles H5057 held H2244 their peace, H6963 and their tongue H3956 cleaved H1692 to the roof of their mouth. H2441
And G2532 unto one G3739 G3303 he gave G1325 five G4002 talents, G5007 G1161 to another G3739 two, G1417 and G1161 to another G3739 one; G1520 to every man G1538 according G2596 to his several G2398 ability; G1411 and G2532 straightway G2112 took his journey. G589
For G1063 unto every one G3956 that hath G2192 shall be given, G1325 and G2532 he shall have abundance: G4052 but G1161 from G575 him G846 that hath G2192 not G3361 shall be taken away G142 G575 even G2532 that which G3739 he hath. G2192
Now G1161 we know G1492 that G3754 what things soever G3745 the law G3551 saith, G3004 it saith G2980 to them who are under G1722 the law: G3551 that G2443 every G3956 mouth G4750 may be stopped, G5420 and G2532 all G3956 the world G2889 may become G1096 guilty G5267 before God. G2316
But G1161 if G1487 thy G4675 brother G80 be grieved G3076 with G1223 thy meat, G1033 now G3765 walkest thou G4043 not G3765 charitably. G26 G2596 Destroy G622 not G3361 him G1565 with thy G4675 meat, G1033 for G5228 whom G3739 Christ G5547 died. G599
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.