Nehemiah 5 · Verse 2

Nehemiah 5:2

For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
Nehemiah 5:2, King James Version

Nehemiah 5:2 in other translations

BSBSome were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”
WEBFor there were some who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”
ASVFor there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
YLTyea, there are who are saying, ‘Our sons, and our daughters, we--are many, and we receive corn, and eat, and live.'
DARBYAnd there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many, and we must procure corn that we may eat and live.
BBEFor there were some who said, We, our sons and our daughters, are a great number: let us get grain, so that we may have food for our needs.
WebsterFor there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

What does Nehemiah 5:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Nehemiah 5:1-5

Ne 5:1-5. The People Complain of Their Debt, Mortgage, and Bondage. 1-5. 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…

Read the full comment on Nehemiah 5:1-5 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 We, our sons, and our daughters, are many - Our families are larger than we can provide for; we are obliged to go in debt; and our richer brethren take advantage of our necessitous situation, and oppress us. The details which are given in the next verse are sufficiently plain.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Nehemiah 5:1-5

Men prey upon their fellow-creatures: by despising the poor they reproach their Maker. Such conduct is a disgrace to any, but who can sufficiently abhor it when adopted by professing Christians? With compassion for the oppressed, we should 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 who are burdened. But…

Read the full comment on Nehemiah 5:1-5 →

Nehemiah 5:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְיֵשׁ֙ve.Yeshand thereH3426
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sher[were those] whoH834
אֹמְרִ֔ים'o.me.Rim[were] sayingH559
בָּנֵ֥ינוּba.Nei.nusons ourH1121
וּבְנֹתֵ֖ינוּu.ve.no.Tei.nuand daughters ourH1323
אֲנַ֣חְנוּ'a.Nach.nuweH587
רַבִּ֑יםra.Bim[are] manyH7227
וְנִקְחָ֥הve.nik.Chahand let us getH3947
דָגָ֖ןda.GangrainH1715
וְנֹאכְלָ֥הve.no.khe.Lahso we may eatH398
וְנִחְיֶֽה\׃ve.nich.Yehand we may liveH2421

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Nehemiah 5:2

  • Psalms 128:2-4

    For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

  • Malachi 2:2

    If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

  • Genesis 41:57

    And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

  • Psalms 127:3-5

    Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

  • Genesis 43:8

    And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

  • Genesis 42:2

    And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
We, our sons.
Ps 127:3-5; 128:2-4; Mal 2:2
we take up corn.
Ge 41:57; 42:2; 43:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Nehemiah 5:1

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

  • Nehemiah 5:2

    For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

  • Nehemiah 5:3

    Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

Read all of Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah 5:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y había quien decía: Nosotros, nuestros hijos y nuestras hijas, somos muchos: hemos por tanto tomado grano para comer y vivir.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il y en avait qui disaient: Nous, nos fils et nos filles, nous sommes nombreux, et nous demandons du blé afin que nous mangions et que nous vivions.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es gab solche, die da sprachen: Unserer Söhne und unserer Töchter, unser sind viele; und wir müssen Getreide erhalten, daß wir essen und leben!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et erant qui dicerent: Filii nostri et filiæ nostræ multæ sunt nimis: accipiamus pro pretio eorum frumentum, et comedamus, et vivamus.