Nehemiah 5:14

14 Forsooth from that day in which the king had commanded to me, that I should be duke in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes (the) king, that is, by twelve years, I and my brethren ate not the sustenances which were due to dukes. (And from the day in which the king had commanded me, that I should be the governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year unto the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, that is, for twelve years, I and my kinsmen did not take the sustenances, that is, the food allowances, which were due to the governor.)

Nehemiah 5:14 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 5:14

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their
governor in the land of Judah
That is, by the king of Persia, which was not done when he was first sent into Judea; but very probably when he had finished the wall in fifty two days, he returned to Persia, and gave the king an account of his success, and how things stood in those parts, when he judged it necessary to send him again in the character of a governor, and which was still within the same year, as follows: from the twentieth year, even unto the thirty second year of Artaxerxes, that is, twelve years; see ( Nehemiah 13:6 ) .

I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor;
which was fit and proper for him, and used to be given him; neither he, nor those that assisted him in the government, the principal men he brought along with him, and put into posts and places under him.

Nehemiah 5:14 In-Context

12 And they said, We shall yield their goods to them, and we shall ask nothing of them; and we shall do so as thou speakest. And I called the priests, and I made them to swear, that they should do after this, that I had said. (And they said, We shall give back their goods to them, and we shall ask nothing from them; and we shall do as thou sayest. And I called for the priests, and I made them swear before the priests, that they would do as they had promised.)

13 And furthermore I shook my bosom, and I said, So (may) God shake away each man from his house, and from his travails, that fulfilleth not this word; and be he shaken away, and be he made void. And all the multitude said, Amen; and they praised God. And the people did, as it was said (And all the people/And all the leaders did, as they had promised).

14 Forsooth from that day in which the king had commanded to me, that I should be duke in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes (the) king, that is, by twelve years, I and my brethren ate not the sustenances which were due to dukes. (And from the day in which the king had commanded me, that I should be the governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year unto the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, that is, for twelve years, I and my kinsmen did not take the sustenances, that is, the food allowances, which were due to the governor.)

15 But the first dukes, that were before me, grieved the people, and took of them in bread, and wine, and money, each day forty shekels; and also their ministers oppressed the people. But I did not so, for the dread of God; (But the former governors, who were there before me, grieved the people, and took from them bread, and wine, and money, forty shekels worth, each day; and their servants, and their officers, also oppressed the people. But I did not do so, for the fear of God/because of my reverence for God;)

16 but rather I subjected myself, and I builded in the work of the wall (and I helped rebuild the wall), and I bought no field, and all my servants were gathered together with me to (do) the work.