Nehemiah 5:2
New International Version
Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”

New Living Translation
They were saying, “We have such large families. We need more food to survive.”

English Standard Version
For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.”

Berean Standard Bible
Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”

King James Bible
For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

New King James Version
For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”

New American Standard Bible
For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let’s get grain so that we may eat and live.”

NASB 1995
For there were those who said, “We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live.”

NASB 1977
For there were those who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Now there were those who were saying, “We, with our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live.”

Amplified Bible
For there were some who were saying, “We, along with our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore allow us to get grain, so that we may eat and survive.”

Christian Standard Bible
Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.”

American Standard Version
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.

Contemporary English Version
and said, "We have large families, and it takes a lot of grain merely to keep us alive."

English Revised Version
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get corn, that we may eat and live.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Some of them said, "We have large families! We need some grain [if we are going] to eat and stay alive."

Good News Translation
Some said, "We have large families, we need grain to keep us alive."

International Standard Version
because certain of them kept claiming, "Since we have so many sons and daughters, we must get some grain so we can eat and survive."

Majority Standard Bible
Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”

NET Bible
There were those who said, "With our sons and daughters, we are many. We must obtain grain in order to eat and stay alive."

New Heart English Bible
For there were that said, "We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live."

Webster's Bible Translation
For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

World English Bible
For there were some who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
indeed, there are [those] who are saying, “Our sons, and our daughters, we—are many, and we receive grain, and eat, and live.”

Young's Literal Translation
yea, there are who are saying, 'Our sons, and our daughters, we -- are many, and we receive corn, and eat, and live.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And there is which saying, Our sons and our daughters, we being many: and we will take grain and we will eat and live.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And there were some that said: Our sons and our daughters are very many: Yet us take up corn for the price of them, and let us eat and live.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And there were those who were saying: “Our sons and our daughters are very many. Let us receive grain as a price for them, and then we may eat and live.”

New American Bible
Some said: “We are forced to pawn our sons and daughters in order to get grain to eat that we may live.”

New Revised Standard Version
For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay alive.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For there were those who said, Our sons and our daughters and our brothers are many; therefore let us purchase grain that we may eat and live.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And there were those who said: “Our sons and our daughters and our brothers are many. We shall take grain and we shall eat and we will live!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For there were that said: 'We, our sons and our daughters, are many; let us get for them corn, that we may eat and live.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And some said, We are numerous with our sons and our daughters; so we will take corn, and eat, and live.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed
1About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. 2 Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.” 3Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”…

Cross References
Exodus 22:25
If you lend money to one of My people among you who is poor, you must not act as a creditor to him; you are not to charge him interest.

Leviticus 25:35-37
Now if your countryman becomes destitute and cannot support himself among you, then you are to help him as you would a foreigner or stranger, so that he can continue to live among you. / Do not take any interest or profit from him, but fear your God, that your countryman may live among you. / You must not lend him your silver at interest or sell him your food for profit.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11
If there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother. / Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him whatever he needs. / Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin. ...

Deuteronomy 23:19-20
Do not charge your brother interest on money, food, or any other type of loan. / You may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess.

Proverbs 22:22-23
Do not rob a poor man because he is poor, and do not crush the afflicted at the gate, / for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who rob them.

Isaiah 58:6-7
Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke? / Isn’t it to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your home, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Ezekiel 18:7-8
He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing. / He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.

Amos 2:6-7
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Israel, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals. / They trample on the heads of the poor as on the dust of the earth; they push the needy out of their way. A man and his father have relations with the same girl and so profane My holy name.

Amos 8:4-6
Hear this, you who trample the needy, who do away with the poor of the land, / asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales. / Let us buy the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the chaff with the wheat!”

Matthew 5:42
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Matthew 25:35-40
For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, / I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ / Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? ...

Luke 3:11
John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.”

Luke 6:34-35
And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. / But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Luke 12:33
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

Luke 14:13-14
But when you host a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind, / and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”


Treasury of Scripture

For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

We, our sons

Psalm 127:3-5
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward…

Psalm 128:2-4
For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee…

Malachi 2:2
If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

we take up corn

Genesis 41:57
And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

Genesis 42:2
And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

Genesis 43:8
And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

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Nehemiah 5
1. The Jews complain of their debt, mortgage, and bondage
6. Nehemiah rebukes the usurers, and causes them to make a covenant of restitution
14. He forbears his own allowance, and keeps hospitality














Some were saying
This phrase introduces the grievances of the people, highlighting the communal nature of the issue. The Hebrew root for "saying" (אָמַר, 'amar) often implies a declaration or a cry for help. In the historical context of Nehemiah, this reflects the collective voice of the Jewish community facing economic hardship. It underscores the importance of listening to the concerns of the community, a principle that resonates with the Christian call to bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2).

We and our sons and daughters
This phrase emphasizes the familial aspect of the crisis. The mention of "sons and daughters" highlights the generational impact of the economic distress. In ancient Israel, family units were central to societal structure, and their well-being was crucial for the community's survival. This reflects the biblical principle of stewardship and care for one's household, as seen in 1 Timothy 5:8, which stresses the importance of providing for one's family.

are numerous
The Hebrew word for "numerous" (רַב, rav) indicates a large population, which in this context, suggests a strain on resources. Historically, the return from exile brought a significant number of Jews back to Jerusalem, leading to increased demand for food and resources. This situation mirrors the challenges faced by growing communities today, reminding believers of the need for wise resource management and compassion for those in need.

We must get grain
The necessity of obtaining grain underscores the basic human need for sustenance. Grain, a staple in the ancient Near Eastern diet, symbolizes life and survival. The Hebrew word for "grain" (דָּגָן, dagan) is often associated with God's provision, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:51. This phrase calls Christians to recognize God's provision and to act as His hands and feet in providing for those who are hungry.

to eat and live
This phrase highlights the fundamental human need for food to sustain life. The Hebrew verb for "live" (חָיָה, chayah) implies not just survival but thriving. In the biblical narrative, life is a gift from God, and the sustenance of life is a divine concern. This reflects the Christian understanding of Jesus as the Bread of Life (John 6:35), who provides spiritual nourishment and life eternal. It challenges believers to address both physical and spiritual hunger in their communities.

(2) We take up.--Let us receive. This is a general appeal for the governor's help.

Verse 2. - There were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many. Those who had large families were foremost in making complaint. They found their numerous progeny not the blessing that abundant offspring is ordinarily reckoned in Holy Scripture, but a burthen and an anxiety. Therefore we take up corn for them. We are obliged to get corn for them, or they would die, and have to run in debt for it. Corn, wine, and oil seem to have been lent, no less than money (ver. 11).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Some
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

were saying,
אֹמְרִ֔ים (’ō·mə·rîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“We
אֲנַ֣חְנוּ (’ă·naḥ·nū)
Pronoun - first person common plural
Strong's 587: We

[and] our sons
בָּנֵ֥ינוּ (bā·nê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 1121: A son

and daughters
וּבְנֹתֵ֖ינוּ (ū·ḇə·nō·ṯê·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 1323: A daughter

are numerous.
רַבִּ֑ים (rab·bîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

We must get
וְנִקְחָ֥ה (wə·niq·ḥāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 3947: To take

grain
דָגָ֖ן (ḏā·ḡān)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1715: Corn, grain (of cereals)

to eat
וְנֹאכְלָ֥ה (wə·nō·ḵə·lāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural
Strong's 398: To eat

and live.”
וְנִחְיֶֽה׃ (wə·niḥ·yeh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive


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OT History: Nehemiah 5:2 For there were that said We our (Neh Ne)
Nehemiah 5:1
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