Teks -- Nehemiah 5:15 (NET)

5:15 But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Neh 5:15 - The former

Not Ezra, who was no governor, nor Zerubbabel, but others between him and Nehemiah, whom he forbears to name.

Wesley: Neh 5:15 - Beside, &c.

Which they required of the people every day to defray their other expenses.

Wesley: Neh 5:15 - Their servants

Ruled them with rigor and cruelty; which fault of the servants is charged upon their masters, because they did not restrain them. He had an awe of God's mercy, and a fear of offending him. Those that truly fear God, will not dare to do any thing cruel or unjust. And this is not only a powerful, but an acceptable principle both of justice and charity.

JFB: Neh 5:15 - the former governors . . . had taken . . . bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver

The income of Eastern governors is paid partly in produce, partly in money. "Bread" means all sorts of provision. The forty shekels of silver per day would amount to a yearly salary of £1800 sterling.

TSK: Neh 5:15 - even their // so did // because

even their : 1Sa 2:15-17, 1Sa 8:15; Pro 29:12

so did : Mat 5:47; 2Co 11:9, 2Co 12:13

because : Neh 5:9; Job 31:23; Psa 112:1, Psa 147:11; Pro 16:6; Ecc 12:13, Ecc 12:14; Isa 50:10; Luk 18:2-4

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Neh 5:15 - The former governors // Beside forty shekels of silver // Their servants bare rule over the people // Because of the fear of God

The former governors not Ezra, who was no governor, but only a priest sent to teach them, and to rectify church abuses; nor Zerubbabel; but others between him and Nehemiah, whom he forbears to name, because he designed not to disgrace any person, but only to reform the abuses.

Beside forty shekels of silver which they required of the people for every day to defray their other expenses.

Their servants bare rule over the people i.e. ruled them with rigour and cruelty; which fault of the servants is charged upon their masters; the former governors, because they did not restrain nor punish them.

Because of the fear of God because I feared to break God’ s commands, or to incur his displeasure, by such immoderate and unseasonable oppressions of the people. This he speaks not to commend himself, but rather to diminish his praise, and to show that this was no heroical action, nor work of supererogation, to be admired rather than imitated; but only his duty in that case, which for his own sake he durst not decline; and consequently that it was their duty also now to relinquish even those rights which in other times and conditions they might lawfully require.

Gill: Neh 5:15 - But the former governors, that had been before me, were chargeable to the people // and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver // yea, even their servants bare rule over the people // but so did not I, because of the fear of God

But the former governors, that had been before me, were chargeable to the people,.... Between him and Zerubbabel, for Ezra was no governor; according to the Jewish chronology ^m, when Ezra came to Jerusalem, Zerubbabel returned to Babylon, and there died, and his son Methullam was in his stead, and after him succeeded Hananiah his son:

and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; which amounted to between four and five pounds, and this they had every day:

yea, even their servants bare rule over the people; required a salary, or at least perquisites of them, which the governors connived at:

but so did not I, because of the fear of God; neither took anything himself of the people, nor suffered his servants; because the fear of God was upon his heart, and before his eyes, and therefore could not allow himself to oppress the poor.