Nehemiah 5 · Verse 4

Nehemiah 5:4

There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
Nehemiah 5:4, King James Version

Nehemiah 5:4 in other translations

BSBStill others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
WEBThere were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.
ASVThere were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute upon our fields and our vineyards.
YLTAnd there are who are saying, ‘We have borrowed money for the tribute of the king, on our fields, and our vineyards;
DARBYAnd there were that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and vineyards;
BBEAnd there were others who said, We have given up our fields and our vine-gardens to get money for the king's taxes.
WebsterThere were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

What does Nehemiah 5:4 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 4 We have borrowed money - This should be read, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute on our lands and vineyards. They had a tax to pay to the Persian king in token of their subjection to him, and though it is not likely it was heavy, yet they were not able to pay it.

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 5:4 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
לָוִ֥ינוּla.Vi.nuwe have borrowedH3867
כֶ֖סֶףKhe.sefmoneyH3701
לְמִדַּ֣תle.mi.Datfor [the] tribute ofH4060
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
שְׂדֹתֵ֖ינוּse.do.Tei.nufields ourH7704
וּכְרָמֵֽינוּ\׃u.khe.ra.Mei.nuand vineyards ourH3754

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

Cross references for Nehemiah 5:4

  • Ezra 4:13

    Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.

  • Ezra 4:20

    There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.

  • 1 Kings 9:21

    Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.

  • Ezra 7:24

    Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

  • Nehemiah 9:37

    And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

  • Joshua 16:10

    And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.

  • Deuteronomy 28:47-48

    Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the king's tribute.
9:37; De 28:47,48; Jos 16:10; 1Ki 9:21; Ezr 4:13,20

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Nehemiah 5:4

    There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

  • Nehemiah 5:5

    Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

Read all of Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah 5:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y había quienes decían: Hemos tomado prestado dinero para el tributo del rey, sobre nuestras tierras y viñas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il y en avait qui disaient: Nous avons emprunté de l’argent sur nos champs et nos vignes pour le tribut du roi;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es gab solche, die da sprachen: Wir haben Geld entlehnt auf unsere Felder und unsere Weinberge für die Steuer des Königs.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et alii dicebant: Mutuo sumamus pecunias in tributa regis, demusque agros nostros et vineas: