And there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives ,.... Those of the poorer sort: against their brethren the Jews ; the rich that oppressed them; and this cry or complaint was made to Nehemiah for redress. read more
For there were that said, we, our sons, and our daughters, are many ,.... Not that they complained of the number of their children, for a numerous offspring was always reckoned a blessing with the Jews; but this they observed to show that their families, being large, required a considerable quantity of food to support them: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat and live ; that is, they were obliged to take it at an exorbitant price, which is the thing complained of; or... read more
Some also there were that said, we have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses ,.... Made them over to others, put them into their hands as pledges for money received of them: that we may buy corn ; for the support of their families: because of the dearth ; or famine; which might be occasioned by their enemies lying in wait and intercepting all provisions that might be brought to them; for this seems not to be the famine spoken of in Haggai 1:10 for that was some years before... read more
We , our sons , and our daughters , are many - Our families are larger than we can provide for; we are obliged to go in debt; and our richer brethren take advantage of our necessitous situation, and oppress us. The details which are given in the next verse are sufficiently plain. read more
Because of the dearth - About the time of Zerubbabel, God had sent a judicial dearth upon the land, as we learn from Haggai, Haggai 1:9 , etc., for the people it seems were more intent on building houses for themselves than on rebuilding the house of the Lord: "Ye looked for much, and, lo, it is come to little; because of mine house that is waste; and ye run, every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. And I... read more
A great cry . Compare Nehemiah 5:6 , where the "cry" is distinguished from the "words." The Oriental habit of shrill lamentation must be borne in mind it is always shrillest when the women have a part in it, as on this occasion. Their wives . Mothers, whose children had been sold into slavery, or who anticipated losing them in this sad way speedily ( Nehemiah 5:5 ). Their brethren the Jews . i.e. the richer Jews, who had adopted the practice of lending upon pledge. read more
1. Over-population (verse 2); 2. A recent famine (verse 3); and, 3. The weight of taxation, arising from the large amount annually demanded from the province by the Persians in the way of tribute (verse 4). As there is no reason to suppose that the tribute had been augmented recently, this cause must be viewed as constant. The over-population may have arisen, in part, from the influx of immigrants, in part from the narrow extent of the territory which the returned tribes had... read more
Extortion rebuked. Rulers of men have no easy task. No sooner have they provided a remedy for one evil than another presents itself. Nehemiah found this to be the case. He had preserved the city from the enemies outside, and was fast proceeding with the fortifications which would be a permanent protection; but before they were completed a cry arose within which called his attention to dangers quite as threatening. Of what avail to have secured the people from the foreign foe if they were... read more
The rich rebuked for taking advantage of the poor. I. THE POOR . 1. Numbers tend to poverty. "We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live" (verse 2). 2. Borrowing tends to poverty. "We have mortgaged our lands" (verse 3). 3. Taxation tends to poverty. "We have borrowed money for the king's tribute" (verse 4). 4. Poverty may sometimes have cause for protest against injustice. 5. Poverty is experienced by... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 5:1-5
We have here the tears of the oppressed, which Solomon considered, Eccl. 4:1. Let us consider them as here they are dropped before Nehemiah, whose office it was, as governor, to deliver the poor and needy, and rid them out of the hand of the wicked oppressors, Ps. 82:4. Hard times and hard hearts made the poor miserable. I. The times they lived in were hard. There was a dearth of corn (Neh. 5:3), probably for want of rain, with which God had chastised their neglect of his house (Hag. 1:9-11)... read more