Nehemiah 5:5
5
Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”
Read Nehemiah 5:5 Using Other Translations
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.
Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards."
We belong to the same family as those who are wealthy, and our children are just like theirs. Yet we must sell our children into slavery just to get enough money to live. We have already sold some of our daughters, and we are helpless to do anything about it, for our fields and vineyards are already mortgaged to others.”
What does Nehemiah 5:5 mean?
John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
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.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
(New International Version Bible Online)
