Nehemiah 5:15
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do this because of my fear of God.”
A short, plain-language explanation of Nehemiah 5:15 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.
“The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do this because of my fear of God.”
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)“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.”
King James Version · Public Domain“But the former governors that were before me were chargeable unto the people, and took of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.”
American Standard Version · Public Domain“the former governors who <FI>are<Fi> before me have made themselves heavy on the people, and take of them in bread and wine, besides in silver forty shekels; also, their servants have ruled over the people--and I have not done so, because of the fear of God.”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainOther passages that echo Nehemiah 5:15 — 16 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Genesis 42:18and on the third day he said to them, “I fear God. So do this and you will live:
- 1 Samuel 2:15Even before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
- 1 Samuel 8:15He will take a tenth of your grain and grape harvest and give it to his officials and servants.
- Nehemiah 5:9So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?
- Job 31:23For calamity from God terrifies me, and His splendor I cannot overpower.
- Psalms 112:1Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.
- Psalms 147:11The LORD is pleased with those who fear Him, who hope in His loving devotion.
- Proverbs 16:6By loving devotion and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns aside from evil.
- Proverbs 29:12If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.
- Ecclesiastes 12:13When all has been heard, the conclusion of the matter is this: Fear God and keep His commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
- Isaiah 50:10Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.
- Lamentations 5:8Slaves rule over us; there is no one to deliver us from their hands.
- Matthew 5:47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?
- Luke 18:2“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men.
- 2 Corinthians 11:9And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.
- 2 Corinthians 12:13In what way were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).