Nehemiah 5:15

15 the former governors who [are] 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.

Nehemiah 5:15 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 5:15

But the former governors, that had been before me, were
chargeable to the people
Between him and Zerubbabel, for Ezra was no governor; according to the Jewish chronology ^F13, when Ezra came to Jerusalem, Zerubbabel returned to Babylon, and there died, and his son Methullam was in his stead, and after him succeeded Hananiah his son:

and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver;
which amounted to between four and five pounds, and this they had every day:

yea, even their servants bare rule over the people;
required a salary, or at least perquisites of them, which the governors connived at:

but so did not I, because of the fear of God;
neither took anything himself of the people, nor suffered his servants; because the fear of God was upon his heart, and before his eyes, and therefore could not allow himself to oppress the poor.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Seder Olam Zuta, p. 108, 109.

Nehemiah 5:15 In-Context

13 also, my lap I have shaken, and I say, `Thus doth God shake out every man, who doth not perform this thing, from his house, and from his labour; yea, thus is he shaken out and empty;' and all the assembly say, `Amen,' and praise Jehovah; and the people do according to this thing.

14 Also, from the day that he appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes the king -- twelve years -- I, and my brethren, the bread of the governor have not eaten:

15 the former governors who [are] 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.

16 And also, in the work of this wall I have done mightily, even a field we have not bought, and all my servants are gathered there for the work;

17 and of the Jews, and of the prefects, a hundred and fifty men, and those coming in unto us of the nations that [are] round about us, [are] at my table;