Nehemiah 5:1-4

Nehemiah Intervenes on behalf of the Oppressed

5:1 Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. ¹  5:2 There were those who said, “With our sons and daughters, we are many. We must obtain ²  grain in order to eat and stay alive.” 5:3 There were others who said, “We are putting up our fields, our vineyards, and our houses as collateral in order to obtain grain during the famine.” 5:4 Then there were those who said, “We have borrowed money to pay our taxes to the king ³  on our fields and our vineyards.

[5:1]  ¹ tn Heb “their brothers the Jews.”

[5:2]  ² tn Heb “take” (so also in v. 3).

[5:4]  ³ tn Heb “for the tax of the king.”