Nehemiah 5:8
And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
Nehemiah 5:8 in other translations
| BSB | and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say. |
|---|---|
| WEB | I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say. |
| ASV | And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, that were sold unto the nations; and would ye even sell your brethren, and should they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found never a word. |
| YLT | and say to them, ‘We have acquired our brethren the Jews, those sold to the nations, according to the ability that is in us, and ye also sell your brethren, and they have been sold to us!' and they are silent, and have not found a word. |
| DARBY | And I said to them, We, according to our ability, have redeemed our brethren the Jews, who were sold to the nations; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? And they were silent and found no answer. |
| BBE | And I said to them, We have given whatever we were able to give, to make our brothers the Jews free, who were servants and prisoners of the nations: and would you now give up your brothers for a price, and are they to become our property? Then they said nothing, answering not a word. |
| Webster | And I said to them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, who were sold to the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold to us? Then they held their peace, and found nothing to answer. |
What does Nehemiah 5:8 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Nehemiah 5:6-12
Ne 5:6-19. The Usurers Rebuked. 6-12. I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words--When such disorders came to the knowledge of the governor, his honest indignation was roused against the perpetrators of the evil. Having summoned a public assembly, he denounced their conduct in terms of just severity. He contrasted it with his own in redeeming with his money some of the Jewish exiles who, through debt or…
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Nehemiah 5:6-13
Nehemiah knew that, if he built Jerusalem's walls ever so high, so thick, or so strong, the city could not be safe while there were abuses. The right way to reform men's lives, is to convince their consciences. If you walk in the fear of God, you will not be either covetous of worldly gain, or cruel toward your brethren. Nothing exposes religion more to reproach, than the worldliness and hard-heartedness of the…
Nehemiah 5:8 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Nehemiah 5:8
- Leviticus 25:47-49
And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger’s family: After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him: Either his uncle, or his uncle’s son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself.
- Deuteronomy 24:7
If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.
- Matthew 25:15
And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
- 2 Corinthians 8:12
For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
- 1 Corinthians 8:11
And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
- Romans 3:19
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
- Exodus 21:16
And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
- Matthew 25:29
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
- Job 29:10
The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
- Romans 14:15
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
- Matthew 22:12
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
- Job 32:15
They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Nehemiah 5:7
Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
- Nehemiah 5:8
And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
- Nehemiah 5:9
Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
Nehemiah 5:8 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y díjeles: Nosotros rescatamos á nuestros hermanos Judíos que habían sido vendidos á las gentes, conforme á la facultad que había en nosotros: ¿y vosotros aun vendéis á vuestros hermanos, y serán vendidos á nosotros? Y callaron, que no tuvieron qué responder. |
|---|---|
| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | et je leur dis: Nous avons racheté, selon notre pouvoir, nos frères, les Juifs, qui avaient été vendus aux nations; et vous voulez vous-mêmes vendre vos frères? Et c’est à nous qu’ils se vendraient? Et ils se turent et ne trouvèrent rien à dire. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | und ich sprach zu ihnen: Wir haben unsere Brüder, die Juden, welche den Nationen verkauft waren, soweit es uns möglich war, losgekauft; und ihr wollt gar eure Brüder verkaufen? Und sie sollen sich uns verkaufen? Da schwiegen sie und fanden keine Antwort. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | et dixi eis: Nos, ut scitis, redemimus fratres nostros Judæos, qui venditi fuerant gentibus secundum possibilitatem nostram: et vos igitur vendetis fratres vestros, et redimemus eos? Et siluerunt, nec invenerunt quid responderent. |