The Meaning of Nehemiah 5:19 Explained

Nehemiah 5:19

KJV: Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

YLT: Remember for me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.

Darby: Remember for me, my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.

ASV: Remember unto me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Think  upon me, my God,  for good,  [according] to all that I have done  for this people. 

What does Nehemiah 5:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 5:1-19 - Securing Justice For The Poor
The prospects of the poor people among the returned exiles were deplorable. There had been deficient rains and poor harvests, Haggai 1:6-11. They had mortgaged their lands to their richer brethren, and had even sold their children to pay the royal taxes and procure means of subsistence. The rich had taken advantage of their necessities, oppressing them with grievous exactions and heavy usury. When Nehemiah heard of it, he seems to have withstood the wrong with strenuous protest, depending on his God for support. And, in a great assembly, he carried the day against selfishness and greed. There is nothing here to condemn mortgage, or interest in themselves. Each is a legitimate method of trade, except when undue advantage is taken of a brother's necessities. The Nehemiah 5:14-19 were evidently added at a subsequent period to the rest of the chapter, and relate the habits of Nehemiah's administration. How full is this book of ejaculatory prayer! Even from his writing-table, this true-hearted man would lift up his eyes to God. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 5

1  The Jews complain of their debt, mortgage, and bondage
6  Nehemiah rebukes the usurers, and causes them to make a covenant of restitution
14  He forbears his own allowance, and keeps hospitality

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 5:19 mean?

Remember me my God for good [according to] all that I have done for people this -
זָכְרָה־ לִּ֥י אֱלֹהַ֖י לְטוֹבָ֑ה כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־ עָשִׂ֖יתִי עַל־ הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה פ

זָכְרָה־  Remember 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
לִּ֥י  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
אֱלֹהַ֖י  my  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לְטוֹבָ֑ה  for  good 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
כֹּ֥ל  [according  to]  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשִׂ֖יתִי  I  have  done 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הָעָ֥ם  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation