Nehemiah 5 נְחֶמְיָה פרק ה׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Nehemiah 5 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   וַתְּהִיand wasצַעֲקַתthe cry ofהָעָםthe peopleוּנְשֵׁיהֶםand their wivesגְּדוֹלָהgreatאֶל־אֲחֵיהֶםunto their brethrenהַיְּהוּדִים׃the Jews

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

2. 2

   וְיֵשׁand there wasאֲשֶׁרwhichאֹמְרִיםsayבָּנֵינוּour sonsוּבְנֹתֵינוּand our daughtersאֲנַחְנוּweרַבִּיםmanyוְנִקְחָהand let us takeדָגָןgrainוְנֹאכְלָהso we may eatוְנִחְיֶה׃so we may live

   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.

3. 3

   וְיֵשׁand there wasאֲשֶׁרwhichאֹמְרִיםsayשְׂדֹתֵינוּour fieldsוּכְרָמֵינוּand our vineyardsוּבָתֵּינוּand our housesאֲנַחְנוּweעֹרְבִיםare mortgagingוְנִקְחָהand let us takeדָגָןgrainבָּרָעָב׃because-of-the-famine

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

4. 4

   וְיֵשׁand there wasאֲשֶׁרwhichאֹמְרִיםsayלָוִינוּwe have borrowedכֶסֶףmoneyלְמִדַּתfor the tribute ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingשְׂדֹתֵינוּour fieldsוּכְרָמֵינוּ׃and our vineyards

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

5. 5

   וְעַתָּהand nowכִּבְשַׂרlike the flesh ofאַחֵינוּour brethrenבְּשָׂרֵנוּour fleshכִּבְנֵיהֶםlike their sonsבָּנֵינוּour sonsוְהִנֵּהand beholdאֲנַחְנוּweכֹבְשִׁיםare bringing into bondageאֶת־בָּנֵינוּour sonsוְאֶת־בְּנֹתֵינוּand our daughtersלַעֲבָדִיםfor servantsוְיֵשׁand there wasמִבְּנֹתֵינוּsome of our daughtersנִכְבָּשׁוֹתbeing brought into bondageוְאֵיןand there is noלְאֵלin the power ofיָדֵנוּour handוּשְׂדֹתֵינוּand our fieldsוּכְרָמֵינוּand our vineyardsלַאֲחֵרִים׃to others

   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.

6. 6

   וַיִּחַרand burnedלִיto meמְאֹדexceedinglyכַּאֲשֶׁרasשָׁמַעְתִּיheardאֶת־זַעֲקָתָםtheir criesוְאֵתandהַדְּבָרִיםthe wordsהָאֵלֶּה׃these

   And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

7. 7

   וַיִּמָּלֵךְand consultedלִבִּיmy heartעָלַיupon meוָאָרִיבָהand I contendedאֶת־הַחֹרִיםthe noblesוְאֶת־הַסְּגָנִיםand the officialsוָאֹמְרָהand I saidלָהֶםto themמַשָּׁאusuryאִישׁ־בְּאָחִיוman of with anotherאַתֶּםyou are(נשאים)[נֹשִׁים]exacting usuryוָאֶתֵּןand I gaveעֲלֵיהֶםupon themקְהִלָּהan assemblyגְדוֹלָה׃great

   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.

8. 8

   וָאֹמְרָהand I saidלָהֶםto themאֲנַחְנוּweקָנִינוּwe have boughtאֶת־אַחֵינוּour brethrenהַיְּהוּדִיםthe Jewsהַנִּמְכָּרִיםthose who sold themselvesלַגּוֹיִםto the nationsכְּדֵיas sufficientבָנוּwas in usוְגַם־אַתֶּםand also you areתִּמְכְּרוּyou soldאֶת־אֲחֵיכֶםyour brethrenוְנִמְכְּרוּ־לָנוּand they were sold usוַיַּחֲרִישׁוּand they were silentוְלֹאand notמָצְאוּfoundדָּבָר׃a word

   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.

9. 9

   (ויאמר)[וָאוֹמַר]and I saidלֹא־טוֹבnot goodהַדָּבָרthe wordאֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּםwhich you areעֹשִׂיםwhich actהֲלוֹאis it notבְּיִרְאַתin the fear ofאֱלֹהֵינוּour Godתֵּלֵכוּyou will walkמֵחֶרְפַּתfrom the reproach ofהַגּוֹיִםthe nationsאוֹיְבֵינוּ׃our enemies

   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?

10. 10

    וְגַם־אֲנִיand also Iאַחַיmy brothersוּנְעָרַיand my servantsנֹשִׁיםare lendingבָּהֶםin themכֶּסֶףmoneyוְדָגָןand grainנַעַזְבָה־נָּאlet us abandon nowאֶת־הַמַּשָּׁאthe usuryהַזֶּה׃this

    I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

11. 11

    הָשִׁיבוּreturnנָאI prayלָהֶםto themכְּהַיּוֹםwhen the dayשְׂדֹתֵיהֶםtheir fieldsכַּרְמֵיהֶםtheir vineyardsזֵיתֵיהֶםtheir olive treesוּבָתֵּיהֶםand their housesוּמְאַתand the hundredth part ofהַכֶּסֶףthe moneyוְהַדָּגָןand the grainהַתִּירוֹשׁthe new wineוְהַיִּצְהָרand the fresh oilאֲשֶׁרwhichאַתֶּםyou areנֹשִׁיםare lendingבָּהֶם׃in them

    Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.

12. 12

    וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidנָשִׁיבwe shall returnוּמֵהֶםand some of themלֹאnotנְבַקֵּשׁwe askכֵּןthusנַעֲשֶׂהwe will doכַּאֲשֶׁרasאַתָּהyouאוֹמֵרsayוָאֶקְרָאand I calledאֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִיםthe priestsוָאַשְׁבִּיעֵםand I made swear an oath themלַעֲשׂוֹתto doכַּדָּבָרaccording to the thingהַזֶּה׃this

    Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

13. 13

    גַּם־חׇצְנִיalso my bosomנָעַרְתִּיI shook outוָאֹמְרָהand I saidכָּכָהthusיְנַעֵרmay he shake outהָאֱלֹהִיםthe Godאֶת־כׇּל־הָאִישׁall the manאֲשֶׁרwhichלֹא־יָקִיםnot shall raise upאֶת־הַדָּבָרthe wordהַזֶּהthisמִבֵּיתוֹfrom his houseוּמִיגִיעוֹand from his propertyוְכָכָהand thusיִהְיֶהshall beנָעוּרshaken outוָרֵקand emptyוַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidכׇל־הַקָּהָלall the assemblyאָמֵןamenוַיְהַלְלוּand they praisedאֶת־יְהֹוָהthe LORDוַיַּעַשׂand didהָעָםthe peopleכַּדָּבָרaccording to the thingהַזֶּה׃this

    Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

14. 14

    גַּםalsoמִיּוֹםfrom the dayאֲשֶׁר־צִוָּהwhich commandedאוֹתִיmeלִהְיוֹתto beפֶּחָםtheir governorבְּאֶרֶץin the land ofיְהוּדָהJudahמִשְּׁנַתfrom the yearעֶשְׂרִיםtwentyוְעַדand untoשְׁנַתyear ofשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtyוּשְׁתַּיִםand twoלְאַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּאof Artaxerxesהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingשָׁנִיםyearsשְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵהtwelveאֲנִיIוְאַחַיand my brethrenלֶחֶםbreadהַפֶּחָהthe governorלֹאnotאָכַלְתִּי׃I ate

    Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

15. 15

    וְהַפַּחוֹתand the governorsהָרִאשֹׁנִיםthe firstאֲשֶׁר־לְפָנַיwhich before meהִכְבִּידוּwere ladenעַל־הָעָםover the peopleוַיִּקְחוּand they tookמֵהֶםof themבְּלֶחֶםfoodוָיַיִןand wineאַחַרafterכֶּסֶף־שְׁקָלִיםmoney shekelsאַרְבָּעִיםfortyגַּםalsoנַעֲרֵיהֶםtheir servantsשָׁלְטוּexerciseעַל־הָעָםover the peopleוַאֲנִיand Iלֹא־עָשִׂיתִיnot I madeכֵןthusמִפְּנֵיbecause ofיִרְאַתthe fear ofאֱלֹהִים׃God

    But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

16. 16

    וְגַםand alsoבִּמְלֶאכֶתin work ofהַחוֹמָהthe wallהַזֹּאתthisהֶחֱזַקְתִּיI continuedוְשָׂדֶהand a fieldלֹאnotקָנִינוּwe have boughtוְכׇל־נְעָרַיand all my young menקְבוּצִיםwere assembledשָׁםthereעַל־הַמְּלָאכָה׃upon the task

    Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

17. 17

    וְהַיְּהוּדִיםand the Jewsוְהַסְּגָנִיםand the officialsמֵאָהa hundredוַחֲמִשִּׁיםand fiftyאִישׁmenוְהַבָּאִיםand the ones who cameאֵלֵינוּunto usמִן־הַגּוֹיִםof the nationsאֲשֶׁר־סְבִיבֹתֵינוּwhich around usעַל־שֻׁלְחָנִי׃upon my table

    Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.

18. 18

    וַאֲשֶׁרand whichהָיָהwasנַעֲשֶׂהwas preparedלְיוֹםto dayאֶחָדoneשׁוֹרan oxאֶחָדoneצֹאןflocksשֵׁשׁ־בְּרֻרוֹתsix chosenוְצִפֳּרִיםand poultryנַעֲשׂוּ־לִיwere done to meוּבֵיןand betweenעֲשֶׂרֶתtenיָמִיםdaysבְּכׇל־יַיִןin all wineלְהַרְבֵּהin abundanceוְעִם־זֶהand with thisלֶחֶםbreadהַפֶּחָהthe governorלֹאnotבִקַּשְׁתִּיhave I soughtכִּי־כָבְדָהbecause it is heavyהָעֲבֹדָהthe laborעַל־הָעָםover the peopleהַזֶּה׃this

    Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

19. 19

    זׇכְרָה־לִּיremember meאֱלֹהַיmy Godלְטוֹבָהfor goodכֹּלallאֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִיwhich I madeעַל־הָעָםover the peopleהַזֶּה׃this

    Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.