Nehemiah 5:4
And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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These people weren't just borrowing money; they were essentially putting up their family farms as collateral for the king's taxes. They had "made their fields and vineyards answerable," meaning the land itself was pledged to cover the debt, showing how desperately they were trying to meet their obligations to a foreign ruler.
The people are crying out to Nehemiah because some of their own Jewish brothers are exploiting them financially. These verses reveal a specific hardship: the need to borrow money, often pledging fields and vineyards as collateral, to pay the heavy taxes imposed by the Persian king. This situation sets the stage for Nehemiah's righteous anger and his subsequent confrontation with the wealthy who are taking advantage of their countrymen's plight.
Understand the original words
mas · Hebrew Noun
A mandatory tribute paid to a governing sovereign; in biblical history, this often highlights the burden of foreign rule or the financial strain placed upon the covenant people.
This passage directly mentions the king's tribute being levied on the people, providing historical context for the financial burden described in Nehemiah.
Nehemiah 9:37This verse echoes the burden of taxation, highlighting that even in Nehemiah's time, the people felt oppressed by tributes and levies, reinforcing the distress mentioned in chapter 5.
Luke 3:13John the Baptist's instructions to tax collectors, telling them not to exceed what is appointed them, show that 'tribute' and 'taxes' were a significant concern and potential source of oppression in biblical times.
Matthew 17:25Jesus' question about whether kings collect taxes from their sons or from others, and the subsequent payment of the temple tax, illustrates the general expectation of tribute and taxes being levied by ruling authorities.
clarkeNehemiah 5:4: "There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards."
We have borrowed money - This should be read, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute on our lands and vineyards. They had a tax to pay to the Persian king in token of their subjection to him, and though it is not likely it was heavy, yet they were not able to pay it.
barnesNehemiah 5:4: "There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards."
The king's tribute - The tax payable to the Persian monarch (compare Ezra 4:13 ; Esther 10:1 ). In ancient times, heavy taxation was often productive of debt and distress.
These people weren't just borrowing money; they were essentially putting up their family farms as collateral for the king's taxes. They had "made their fields and vineyards answerable," meaning the land itself was pledged to cover the debt, showing how desperately they were trying to meet their obligations to a foreign ruler.
The people are crying out to Nehemiah because some of their own Jewish brothers are exploiting them financially. These verses reveal a specific hardship: the need to borrow money, often pledging fields and vineyards as collateral, to pay the heavy taxes imposed by the Persian king. This situation sets the stage for Nehemiah's righteous anger and his subsequent confrontation with the wealthy who are taking advantage of their countrymen's plight.
The people are crying out to Nehemiah because some of their own Jewish brothers are exploiting them financially. These verses reveal a specific hardship: the need to borrow money, often pledging fields and vineyards as collateral, to pay the heavy taxes imposed by the Persian king. This situation sets the stage for Nehemiah's righteous anger and his subsequent confrontation with the wealthy who are taking advantage of their countrymen's plight.
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"And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards." — These people weren't just borrowing money; they were essentially putting up their family farms as collateral for the king's taxes. They had "made their fields and vineyards answerable," meaning the l…
