Nehemiah 5:1 Meaning and Explanation
“And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A great outcry rises from the people and their wives against their own fellow Jews over economic hardship.
What Does Nehemiah 5:1 Mean?
The wall is going up under threat from enemies outside the city, but here a crisis erupts inside the community. While the men labor on the defenses, a loud protest breaks out, and it is aimed not at the Persians or the surrounding nations but at fellow Israelites who are profiting from their neighbors' distress.
Scripture does not hide the failures of God's own people. A wall can rise while the heart of a community decays. The cry of the poor and the cry of women, often the first to feel a household's collapse, reaches the narrative's center, and it will reach the ear of God. The Lord hears the groaning of the oppressed, and a faithful leader must hear it too.
Nehemiah 5:1 in the Original Language
tsa'aqah (צְעָקָה), 'cry' -- a loud outcry of distress, the same word for Israel's groaning under bondage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nehemiah 5:1
What does Nehemiah 5:1 mean?
A great outcry rises from the people and their wives against their own fellow Jews over economic hardship.