Nehemiah 5:9

So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?

Majority Standard Bible

In The King James Version

Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

In Context

8and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.

10I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury.

Read all of Nehemiah 5

Cross References

Genesis 20:11Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’

Leviticus 25:36Do not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you.

2 Samuel 12:14Nevertheless, because by this deed you have shown utter contempt for the word of the LORD, the son born to you will surely die.”

Nehemiah 5:15The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people. But I did not do this, because of my fear of God.

Proverbs 17:26It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.

Proverbs 19:2Even zeal is no good without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps misses the mark.

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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