Nehemiah 5:15 Meaning and Explanation
“But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Earlier governors had burdened the people with food and silver and let their servants lord it over them, but Nehemiah refused such things out of the fear of God.
What Does Nehemiah 5:15 Mean?
Nehemiah contrasts himself with the governors before him. They were a burden, taking food, wine, and forty shekels of silver, and even their servants lorded it over the people. Nehemiah did none of this, and he names the reason plainly: because of the fear of God.
The same reverence he urged on the nobles governs his own conduct. The fear of God is the quiet restraint that keeps power from feeding on the people it should protect. Where others used their position to take, Nehemiah used his to spare, modeling the servant-leadership the Lord delights in and that Christ would one day perfect.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nehemiah 5:15
What does Nehemiah 5:15 mean?
Earlier governors had burdened the people with food and silver and let their servants lord it over them, but Nehemiah refused such things out of the fear of God.