Nehemiah 5:8 “and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who w…”

Nehemiah 5:8

and 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.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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 to answer.

World English Bible

I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say.

American Standard Version

And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, that were sold unto the nations; and would ye even sell your brethren, and should they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found never a word.

Geneva Bible 1599

And I said vnto them, We (according to our abilitie) haue redeemed our brethren the Iewes, which were solde vnto the heathen: and will you sell your brethren againe, or shall they be solde vnto vs? Then helde they their peace, and could not answere.

Darby Translation

And I said to them, We, according to our ability, have redeemed our brethren the Jews, who were sold to the nations; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? And they were silent and found no answer.

Young's Literal Translation

and say to them, 'We have acquired our brethren the Jews, those sold to the nations, according to the ability that [is] in us, and ye also sell your brethren, and they have been sold to us!' and they are silent, and have not found a word.

Bible in Basic English

And I said to them, We have given whatever we were able to give, to make our brothers the Jews free, who were servants and prisoners of the nations: and would you now give up your brothers for a price, and are they to become our property? Then they said nothing, answering not a word.

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Cross references

“We after”

Matthew 25:15 Matthew 25:29 2 Corinthians 8:12 Galatians 6:10

Matthew 25:15 · BSB

To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.

Matthew 25:29 · BSB

For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

2 Corinthians 8:12 · BSB

For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

Galatians 6:10 · BSB

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.

“redeemed”

Leviticus 25:47–49

Leviticus 25:47–49 · BSB

If a foreigner residing among you prospers, but your countryman dwelling near him becomes destitute and sells himself to the foreigner or to a member of his clan,

“sell your”

Exodus 21:16 Deuteronomy 24:7

Exodus 21:16 · BSB

Whoever kidnaps another man must be put to death, whether he sells him or the man is found in his possession.

Deuteronomy 24:7 · BSB

If a man is caught kidnapping one of his Israelite brothers, whether he treats him as a slave or sells him, the kidnapper must die. So you must purge the evil from among you.

“shall they”

Romans 14:15 1 Corinthians 8:11

Romans 14:15 · BSB

If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.

1 Corinthians 8:11 · BSB

So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.

“held”

Job 29:10 Job 32:15 Matthew 22:12 Romans 3:19

Job 29:10 · BSB

The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.

Job 32:15 · BSB

Job’s friends are dismayed, with no more to say; words have escaped them.

Matthew 22:12 · BSB

‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless.

Romans 3:19 · BSB

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

7and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them

9So 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?

Read Nehemiah 5