Nehemiah 5:8

There I told them, “We have done as much as we can to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers as slaves! Are you expecting to sell them back to us?” They kept quiet because they couldn't think of anything to say.

Free Bible Version

In The King James Version

And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

In Context

7I thought it over and then I went to argue with the nobles and officials, telling them, “You are charging your own brothers interest!” So I called a large meeting to deal with them.

9“What you're doing isn't right,” I told them. “Don't you think you should respect our God so that enemy nations don't criticize us?

Read all of Nehemiah 5

Cross References

Leviticus 25:47If a foreigner among you becomes successful, and one of your people living nearby becomes poor and sells themselves to the foreigner or to a member of the foreigner's family,

Deuteronomy 24:7Anyone caught kidnapping a fellow Israelite must be executed, whether the kidnapper makes him a slave or sells him. You must eliminate the evil from among you.

Job 32:15You sit there speechless with nothing left to say.

Matthew 25:15To one of them he gave five talents, to another he gave two, and to another one, according to their different abilities. Then he left.

Romans 3:19It's clear that everything in the law applies to those who live under the law so that no one could have any excuses, and to make sure everyone in the whole world is answerable to God.

1 Corinthians 8:11By your “better knowledge” the weaker believer is destroyed, a believer for whom Christ died.

Matthew Henry on Nehemiah 5:7-14

Grievances of the Poor Redressed. ( b. c. 445.) 6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. 7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. 8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing… Read the whole commentary →

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