Nehemiah 5:13-16

13 I ¹also shook out the front of my garment and said, "Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied." And ²all the assembly said, "Amen!" And they praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise.

Nehemiah's Example

14 Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from ³the twentieth year to the ⁴thirty-second * year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve * years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor's food allowance.

15 But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so ⁵because * of the fear of God.

16 I also applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.

Nehemiah 5:13-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 5

In this chapter is a complaint of the poor against the rich for oppression of them, Ne 5:1-5 for which Nehemiah being angry, reproved them, and made them promise, and swear to it, to make restitution, Ne 5:6-13 and set them an example himself, taking nothing of them during his twelve years' government, supporting himself and his at his own expenses, Ne 5:14-19.

Cross References

• 1. Acts 18:6
• 2. Nehemiah 8:6
• 3. Nehemiah 1:1
• 4. Nehemiah 13:6
• 5. Nehemiah 5:9; Job 31:23

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "bosom"
• [b]. Lit "word"
• [c]. Lit "word"
• [d]. Lit "brothers"
• [e]. Lit "made heavy"
• [f]. Or "held fast"