Nehemiah 5:5
New International Version
Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”

New Living Translation
We belong to the same family as those who are wealthy, and our children are just like theirs. Yet we must sell our children into slavery just to get enough money to live. We have already sold some of our daughters, and we are helpless to do anything about it, for our fields and vineyards are already mortgaged to others.”

English Standard Version
Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

Berean Standard Bible
We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

King James Bible
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

New King James Version
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”

New American Standard Bible
And now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

NASB 1995
“Now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

NASB 1977
“And now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Legacy Standard Bible
But now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into subjugation, and we have no power in our hands to help, and our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Amplified Bible
Now our flesh (skin) is the same as that of our brothers (relatives), and our children are like their children, yet here we are forcing (selling) our sons and our daughters to be slaves; and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and we are powerless [to redeem them] because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Christian Standard Bible
We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

American Standard Version
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already: neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And there were those who said: “Therefore as the flesh of our brethren, so also is our flesh, and like their children, so also are our children! Behold, therefore, we are compelling our sons and our daughters as our Servants, and there were some of our daughters whom we subjected to Maid Servants, and they did not lift their hands before God, and our fields and our vineyards and our goods we gave to others!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children are as their children: yet, behold, we are reducing our sons and our daughters to slavery, and some of our daughters are enslaved: and there is no power of our hands, for our fields and our vineyards belong to the nobles.

Contemporary English Version
We are Jews just as they are, and our children are as good as theirs. But we still have to sell our children as slaves, and some of our daughters have already been raped. We are completely helpless; our fields and vineyards have even been taken from us."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren: and our children as their children. Behold we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters, and some of our daughters are bondwomen already, neither have we wherewith to redeem them, and our fields and our vineyards other men possess.

English Revised Version
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already: neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
We have the same flesh and blood as our relatives. Our children are just like theirs. Yet, we have to force our sons and daughters to become slaves. Some of our daughters have already become slaves. But we can't do anything else when our fields and vineyards belong to others."

Good News Translation
We are of the same race as the other Jews. Aren't our children just as good as theirs? But we have to make slaves of our children. Some of our daughters have already been sold as slaves. We are helpless because our fields and vineyards have been taken away from us."

International Standard Version
Now our bodies are no different than the bodies of our relatives, and our children are like their children. Nevertheless, we're about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already in bondage. It's beyond our power to do anything about it, because our fields and vineyards belong to others."

JPS Tanakh 1917
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already; neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.'

Literal Standard Version
and now, as the flesh of our brothers [is] our flesh, as their sons [are] our sons, and behold, we are subduing our sons and our daughters for servants, and there are [those] of our daughters subdued, and our hand has no might, and our fields and our vineyards [are] to others.”

Majority Standard Bible
We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

New American Bible
And though these are our own kindred, and our children are as good as theirs, we have had to reduce our sons and daughters to slavery, and violence has been done to some of our daughters! Yet we can do nothing about it, for our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

NET Bible
And now, though we share the same flesh and blood as our fellow countrymen, and our children are just like their children, still we have found it necessary to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have been subjected to slavery, while we are powerless to help, since our fields and vineyards now belong to other people."

New Revised Standard Version
Now our flesh is the same as that of our kindred; our children are the same as their children; and yet we are forcing our sons and daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been ravished; we are powerless, and our fields and vineyards now belong to others.”

New Heart English Bible
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Look, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. Neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards."

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought to bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

World English Bible
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

Young's Literal Translation
and now, as the flesh of our brethren is our flesh, as their sons are our sons, and lo, we are subduing our sons and our daughters for servants, and there are of our daughters subdued, and our hand hath no might, and our fields and our vineyards are to others.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed
4Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.” 6When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,…

Cross References
Matthew 18:25
Since the man was unable to pay, the master ordered that he be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned.

Genesis 37:27
Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh." And they agreed.

Exodus 21:7
And if a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as the menservants do.

Leviticus 25:39
If a countryman among you becomes destitute and sells himself to you, then you must not force him into slave labor.

Isaiah 50:1
This is what the LORD says: "Where is your mother's certificate of divorce with which I sent her away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Look, you were sold for your iniquities, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.


Treasury of Scripture

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children: and, see, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought to bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

our flesh

Genesis 37:27
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

Isaiah 58:7
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

James 2:5,6
Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? …

we

Exodus 21:1-11
Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them…

Leviticus 25:39-43
And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: …

2 Kings 4:1
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

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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














(5) We bring into bondage.--But the climax of the cry was the bondage of their children, especially of the daughters, whom they had been obliged to sell until the Jubile for money: children as precious to their parents as were the children of the rulers to them.

Verse 5. - Our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren. We love our own flesh and blood, poor as we are, just as much as do our richer brethren; our children are as dear to us as theirs to them. The necessity which compels us to bring into bondage our sons and our daughters is therefore most grievous to us. Some of our daughters are brought into bondage already. On the power of fathers to sell their daughters, see Exodus 21:7. Neither is it in our power to redeem them. Literally, "nor is aught in the power of our hands" (see Genesis 31:29). We have no remedy; it is not in our power to effect any change.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
We and our children
כִּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם (kiḇ·nê·hem)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1121: A son

are just like our countrymen
אַחֵ֙ינוּ֙ (’a·ḥê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 251: A brother, )

and their children,
בָּנֵ֑ינוּ (bā·nê·nū)
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 1121: A son

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

are subjecting
כֹ֠בְשִׁים (ḵō·ḇə·šîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3533: To subdue, bring into bondage

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

and daughters
בְּנֹתֵ֜ינוּ (bə·nō·ṯê·nū)
Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 1323: A daughter

to slavery.
לַעֲבָדִ֗ים (la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏîm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

Some of
וְיֵ֨שׁ (wə·yêš)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 3426: Being, substance, existence, is

our daughters
מִבְּנֹתֵ֤ינוּ (mib·bə·nō·ṯê·nū)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 1323: A daughter

are already enslaved,
נִכְבָּשׁוֹת֙ (niḵ·bā·šō·wṯ)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 3533: To subdue, bring into bondage

but we are powerless [to redeem them]
וְאֵ֣ין (wə·’ên)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

because our fields
וּשְׂדֹתֵ֥ינוּ (ū·śə·ḏō·ṯê·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 7704: Field, land

and vineyards
וּכְרָמֵ֖ינוּ (ū·ḵə·rā·mê·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 3754: A garden, vineyard

belong to others.”
לַאֲחֵרִֽים׃ (la·’ă·ḥê·rîm)
Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 312: Hinder, next, other


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OT History: Nehemiah 5:5 Yet now our flesh is as (Neh Ne)
Nehemiah 5:4
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