Nehemiah 5:5

5 "We are of the same flesh and blood as our kin, and our children are the same as theirs. Yet we are just about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already slaves! There is nothing we can do since our fields and vineyards now belong to others."

Nehemiah 5:5 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 5:5

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren
We are of the same nature, nation, stock, and religion: our children as their children; are circumcised as they, and have a right to the same privileges in church and state:

and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and daughters to be servants;
shall be obliged to it, unless relieved:

and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already;
sold to be servants, as they might in case of the poverty of parents, ( Exodus 21:7 ) , and some were sometimes taken to be bondmen in payment of their parents' debts, ( 2 Kings 4:1 )

neither is it in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands
and vineyards;
as pledges for money borrowed.

Nehemiah 5:5 In-Context

3 Others said, "We have to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our houses in order to get grain during the famine."

4 Still others said, "We have had to borrow money against our fields and vineyards in order to pay the king's tax."

5 "We are of the same flesh and blood as our kin, and our children are the same as theirs. Yet we are just about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already slaves! There is nothing we can do since our fields and vineyards now belong to others."

6 I was very angry when I heard their protest and these complaints.

7 After thinking it over, I brought charges against the officials and the officers. I told them, "You are all taking interest from your own people!" I also called for a large assembly in order to deal with them.