The big picture
Nehemiah 5 opens in verse 1 with “And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 10 with “I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray…”, and closes in verse 19 with “Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.” Repeated or prominent terms include brethren, people, corn, lands, servants. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Nehemiah · King James Version · 19Nehemiah 5:1-7
1–7: There was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their…
Nehemiah 5:1–7 opens with “And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.” and reaches “Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Poor families bringing their complaint and Nehemiah confronting nobles over debt and exploitation, with particular weight carried by daughters, lands, vineyards.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.” Naming Jews keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Nehemiah 5:1-7
King James Version1And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
2For 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.
3Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
4There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
5Yet 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.
6And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7Then 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 5:8-14
8–14: I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the…
Nehemiah 5:8–14 opens with “And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold…” and reaches “Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Poor families bringing their complaint and Nehemiah confronting nobles over debt and exploitation, with particular weight carried by brethren, promise, corn.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“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…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Nehemiah 5:8-14
King James Version8And 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.
9Also 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?
10I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
11Restore, 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.
12Then 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.
13Also 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.
14Moreover 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.
Nehemiah 5:15-19
15–19: The former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the…
Nehemiah 5:15–19 opens with “But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken…” and reaches “Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Poor families bringing their complaint and Nehemiah confronting nobles over debt and exploitation, with particular weight carried by people, bread, prepared.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and…” The number forty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither…” Naming Yea keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Nehemiah 5:15-19
King James Version15But 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.
16Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
17Moreover 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.
18Now 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.
19Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Nehemiah 5:1 begins with “And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.”
Where the chapter turns
Nehemiah 5:9 forms a natural hinge: “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?”
The final note
Nehemiah 5:19 leaves the reader with “Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words brethren, people, corn, lands, servants, vineyards help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the repeated ending make readers feel?
Death becomes the chapter's persistent refrain, even as generation follows generation.
What two interruptions offer hope?
Enoch's walk with God and Lamech's hope attached to Noah.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.