Nehemiah 5:15 · Bible study
Nehemiah 5:15 Commentary: Fear of God in Leadership
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Nehemiah refuse the governor's allowance? This verse contrasts selfless leadership with exploitation, grounded in the fear of God.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Nehemiah refuses the governor's allowance to avoid burdening the people, motivated by the fear of God.
- Key words: “Made heavy” (hikhbidu), to burden; “fear of God” (yir'at Elohim), reverential awe as the basis for ethical conduct.
- Main debate: The Hebrew preposition achar (“after”), is it “besides”, “afterward”, or “at the rate of”? This affects how we understand the forty shekels.
- Theological theme: The fear of God leads to selfless service and justice, even at personal cost.
- Best use: A sermon on leadership, integrity, or social ethics; especially relevant in contexts of economic disparity.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do this because of my fear of God.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people, but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But the former governors that were before me were chargeable unto the people, and took of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
the former governors who are before me have made themselves heavy on the people, and take of them in bread and wine, besides in silver forty shekels; also, their servants have ruled over the people--and I have not done so, because of the fear of God.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But the former governors that were before me had been chargeable to the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver: even their servants bore rule over the people. But I did not so, because of the fear of God.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
But the former governors that had been before me, were chargeable to the people, and took of them in bread, and wine, and in money every day forty sicles: and their officers also oppressed the people. But I did not so for the fear of God.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas los primeros gobernadores que fueron antes de mí, cargaron al pueblo, y tomaron de ellos por el pan y por el vino sobre cuarenta siclos de plata: á más de esto, sus criados se enseñoreaban sobre el pueblo; pero yo no hice así, á causa del temor de Dios.
Mas os primeiros governadores que foram antes de mim, oprimiram ao povo, e tomaram deles pão e pelo vinho, além de quarenta siclos de prata; ainda mais, seus servos dominavam opressivamente sobre o povo; porém eu não fiz assim, por causa do temor a Deus.
Avant moi, les premiers gouverneurs accablaient le peuple, et recevaient de lui du pain et du vin, outre quarante sicles d’ argent; leurs serviteurs mêmes opprimaient le peuple. Je n’ ai point agi de la sorte, par crainte de Dieu.
Denn die vorigen Landpfleger, die vor mir gewesen waren, hatten das Volk beschwert und hatten von ihnen genommen Brot und Wein, dazu auch vierzig Silberlinge; auch waren die Leute mit Gewalt gefahren über das Volk. Ich tat aber nicht also um der Furcht Gottes willen.
En de vorige landvoogden, die voor mij geweest zijn, hebben het volk bezwaard, en van hen genomen aan brood en wijn, daarna veertig zilveren sikkelen; ook heersten hun jongens over het volk; maar ik heb alzo niet gedaan, om der vreze Gods wil.
I governatori che mi avean preceduto aveano gravato il popolo, ricevendone pane e vino oltre a quaranta sicli d’argento; perfino i loro servi angariavano il popolo; ma io non ho fatto così, perché ho avuto timor di Dio.
Choć książęta pierwsi, którzy byli przedemną, obciążali lud, biorąc od nich chleb i wino, mimo srebra syklów czterdzieści; także i słudzy ich używali okrucieństwa nad ludem; alem ja tak nie czynił dla bojaźni Bożej.
А прежние областеначальники, которые были до меня, отягощали народ и брали с них хлеб и вино, кроме сорока сиклей серебра; даже и слуги их господствовали над народом. Я же не делал так по страху Божию.
在我 以前 的 省長 加重 百姓的擔子，每日索要 糧食 和酒，並 銀子 四十 舍客勒，就是 他們的僕人 也轄制 百姓；但我 因 敬畏 神 不 這樣 行。
But earlier rulers who were before me made the people responsible for their upkeep, and took from them bread and wine at the rate of forty shekels of silver; and even their servants were lords over the people: but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Nehemiah 5:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Nehemiah deliberately sets his own governance against that of his predecessors. Where former governors made themselves heavy on the people (the Hebrew verb hikhbidu carries the sense of imposing a burden), Nehemiah refused the customary allowance of bread, wine, and forty shekels of silver. Matthew Henry notes that Nehemiah spares the names of his predecessors, but the contrast is unmistakable. Gill and Barnes emphasize that Nehemiah's restraint was not mere policy but flowed from the fear of God, a phrase that also appears in Nehemiah 5:9, where he calls the nobles to walk in that fear. Keil and Delitzsch observe that this unselfish behavior is consistent with Nehemiah's entire administration: he did not eat the governor's bread, he did not buy up land, and he hosted 150 people at his own table. The shared conclusion is that Nehemiah provides a concrete model of authority exercised as service, not self-enrichment.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- The 'besides' view (KJV, ASV): Renders achar as 'beside,' indicating the shekels were added to the bread and wine.
- The 'afterward' view (Keil): Reads achar adverbially: the governors first took food and later demanded the money.
- The 'at the rate of' view (Cambridge margin): Takes achar as 'at the price of,' suggesting the forty shekels was the value of the food.
What is clear: Nehemiah refused the governor's customary allowance because he feared God, setting an example of selfless leadership in a context of systemic oppression.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The identity of the former governors | They preceded Nehemiah in Jerusalem and likely include Zerubbabel and his successors. | The exact number and family of governors between Zerubbabel and Nehemiah are not recorded in the text; some traditions list them, but certainty is low. |
| The meaning of achar ('after') | The word modifies the statement about the forty shekels. | Translations vary: 'besides' (KJV, ASV), 'afterward' (Keil), or 'at the rate of' (Cambridge margin). Each is possible but none is grammatically decisive. |
| The amount of the forty shekels | It was a payment exacted from the people, likely in addition to bread and wine. | Barnes and Gill treat it as a daily sum; others suggest it could be an annual or per-person total. The text does not specify the period. |
| The motivation of the fear of God | Nehemiah states this as his reason for refusing the allowance. | Interpreters vary on whether yir'ah denotes reverential awe or holy terror; both senses are present in the Hebrew, but the context favors awe that produces ethical behavior. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Nehemiah served as governor of Judah under the Persian king Artaxerxes I, from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of his reign (445, 433 BC). The province of Yehud was small and impoverished. Governors in the Persian system drew their income from the people they governed. The bread and wine and forty shekels of silver mentioned in this verse were the official allowance, daily provisions for the governor's table, as the Cambridge Bible notes. The phrase former governors likely refers to Zerubbabel and his successors, though their exact number and identity are not recorded.
The broader context of Nehemiah 5 reveals a severe economic crisis. The people were mortgaging fields, borrowing money for taxes, and selling children into debt slavery (Nehemiah 5:1-5). The nobles and rulers were exploiting their fellow Jews, charging interest and demanding collateral. Nehemiah had just rebuked them and compelled them to restore what they had taken. In this setting, Nehemiah's refusal to claim his lawful allowance was a powerful statement. The Hebrew word for ruled in verse 15 is shaltu, meaning to domineer or lord it over. The former governors not only exacted heavy payments but allowed their underlings to oppress the people as well. Nehemiah, by contrast, drew a clear line: he himself did not take, and his servants were gathered to the work of the wall, not to extort. This was a complete redefinition of leadership. The historical background helps us see that Nehemiah's fear of God was not a private piety but a public ethic that shaped every aspect of his administration.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentators note no significant textual variants in the Hebrew manuscripts for this verse. However, the Hebrew phrase 'achar kesef shekalim' is syntactically ambiguous. The word achar normally means 'after' and is here translated variously as 'besides' (KJV, ASV, Darby), 'afterward' (Keil), or 'at the rate of' (Cambridge margin). No manuscript evidence resolves the ambiguity; it remains a matter of contextual interpretation.
Reception History
Matthew Henry (1710) saw in this verse a lesson in generosity and the moral authority that comes from self-denial. John Wesley (1754) emphasized that 'the fear of God' was a powerful principle against injustice, writing that 'those that truly fear God will not dare to do anything cruel or unjust.' In the Reformed tradition, this verse has been used to advocate for civic righteousness, that those in authority must govern by God's standards of mercy. The broader Christian reading has held Nehemiah up as a model for leadership that puts the needs of the vulnerable before personal privilege. His example continues to inspire those who seek to lead with integrity.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The standard of the age, Former governors burdened the people. They took bread, wine, and forty shekels daily. Their servants domineered.
- The counter-example, Nehemiah refused. He did not eat the governor's bread. He did not take the allowance. He gathered his servants to the work.
- The inner motive, Because of the fear of God. Not for reputation or reward, but out of reverence for God who sees and judges.
Five-point outline
- The crisis, Economic collapse and debt slavery (Nehemiah 5:1-5).
- The contrast, Former governors vs. Nehemiah: exploitation vs. sacrifice.
- The cost, Nehemiah hosted 150 people daily from his own resources (v.17-18).
- The consistency, For twelve years he refused the allowance, even rebuilding the wall without pay.
- The climax, His prayer in v.19: “Remember me, my God, for good.”
Illustration hooks
- A manager who voluntarily takes a pay cut so that workers can keep their jobs.
- A pastor who refuses a salary increase when the congregation is struggling, choosing to work a second job instead.
- A parent who gives up a vacation so their child can go to a needed school program.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Am I allowed to take what the law or custom says I deserve, or should I sometimes give it up for the sake of others?”
- “How can I know whether my decisions are motivated by fear of God or by fear of people?”
- “What would it look like for our church to prioritize the needs of the poor over our own privileges?”
Leading a Discussion
Nehemiah 5:15 is a case study in leadership ethics. It comes at the end of a chapter where Nehemiah confronts systemic injustice among God's people. His own generosity provides the foundation for his confrontation. This discussion will help your group explore how the fear of God changes the way we use power and resources.
Discussion questions
- What does this verse reveal about the behavior of former governors? How does Nehemiah describe it?
- Why do you think Nehemiah includes the detail about the servants' behavior? What does that add?
- What does the phrase “because of the fear of God” mean in this context? Look at Nehemiah 5:9 and Job 31:23 for help.
- How does Nehemiah's leadership here compare with the way authority is often exercised in the world today?
- What rights or privileges do you hold that could become burdens for others? How might you follow Nehemiah's example?
- What role should the fear of God play in the decisions of leaders in the church and in society?
- Nehemiah ends this section with a prayer (v.19). What does that prayer tell us about his ultimate trust?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 2:15 | Yes, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.” |
| I Samuel 2:17 | The sin of the young men was very great before Yahweh; for the men despised Yahweh’s offering. |
| I Samuel 8:15 | He will take one tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers and to his servants. |
| Nehemiah 5:9 | Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? |
| Job 31:23 | For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because of his majesty, I can do nothing. |
| Psalms 112:1 | Praise Yah! Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh, who delights greatly in his commandments. |
| Psalms 147:11 | Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness. |
| Proverbs 16:6 | By mercy and truth iniquity is atoned for. By the fear of Yahweh men depart from evil. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the forty shekels of silver came as a daily payment from the whole province. Given the scale of the table Nehemiah kept, he considers this a very moderate sum, not an excessive burden.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary focuses on the Hebrew phrasing behind the governors' exactions, particularly the verb meaning to "make heavy" and the ambiguous "after forty shekels of silver." It weighs several possible translations and favors a conjectural reading that the daily cost of the governor's provisions was around forty shekels.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights Nehemiah's deliberate contrast with earlier governors who exploited their office by taking food and money from the people and letting their servants bully them. Nehemiah refused these abuses, and his reason is the distinctive point: he acted out of the fear of God, not out of political calculation or personal ambition.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that previous governors demanded a daily payment of bread, wine, and forty shekels of silver from the people, and even allowed their servants to oppress them. Nehemiah refused all such exactions because the fear of God controlled his heart and kept him from burdening the poor.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB explains that the former governors received their income in two forms: provisions (bread meaning all food, and wine) plus a daily payment of forty shekels of silver. That cash alone would have amounted to a very large annual salary of about 1,800 pounds sterling.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasizes that Nehemiah, unlike the governors before him, voluntarily gave up the official allowance and table expenses he was entitled to. His reason was compassion for the people already weighed down by building the wall, and he acted this way because he feared God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Nehemiah did not name the former governors who burdened the people, sparing their honor while pointing out their costly rule. Nehemiah's own refusal to take the governor's salary or buy land came from the fear of God, not pride, as an example for future leaders to be gentle with the people.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley contrasts Nehemiah’s leadership with unnamed previous governors who burdened the people daily and ruled their servants harshly. Because Nehemiah stood in awe of God’s mercy and feared offending Him, he refused to act cruelly or unjustly. True fear of God, Wesley insists, is both a powerful and acceptable motive for justice.