The Meaning of Nehemiah 5:8 Explained

Nehemiah 5:8

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

What does Nehemiah 5:8 Mean?

Study Notes

redeemed
.
Thus the Lord saved Israel
Redemption: (Exodus type) Summary. Exodus is the book of redemption and teaches:
(1) redemption is wholly of God Exodus 3:7 ; Exodus 3:8 ; John 3:16 .
(2) redemption is through a person. (See Scofield " Exodus 2:2 ") . John 3:16 ; John 3:17 .
(3) redemption is by blood Exodus 12:13 ; Exodus 12:23 ; Exodus 12:27 ; 1 Peter 1:18 .
(4) redemption is by power Exodus 6:6 ; Exodus 13:14 ; Romans 8:2 .
(See Scofield " Isaiah 59:20 ") . See Scofield " Romans 3:24 ".
The blood of Christ redeems the believer from the guilt and penalty of sin. 1 Peter 1:18 as the power of the Spirit delivers from the dominion of sin.; Romans 8:2 ; Ephesians 2:2 .

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 5:8 mean?

And I said to them we have redeemed - our brothers the Jews who were sold to the nations According to ability our and indeed even you will sell your brothers Or should they be sold to us and they were silenced and nothing found [to [say] -
וָאֹמְרָ֣ה לָהֶ֗ם אֲנַ֣חְנוּ קָ֠נִינוּ אֶת־ אַחֵ֨ינוּ הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַנִּמְכָּרִ֤ים לַגּוֹיִם֙ כְּדֵ֣י בָ֔נוּ וְגַם־ אַתֶּ֛ם תִּמְכְּר֥וּ ؟ אֲחֵיכֶ֖ם וְנִמְכְּרוּ־ לָ֑נוּ וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ וְלֹ֥א מָצְא֖וּ דָּבָֽר ס

וָאֹמְרָ֣ה  And  I  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָהֶ֗ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
קָ֠נִינוּ  have  redeemed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: קָנָה 
Sense: to get, acquire, create, buy, possess.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אַחֵ֨ינוּ  our  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים  the  Jews 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: Jew.
הַנִּמְכָּרִ֤ים  who  were  sold 
Parse: Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: מָכַר  
Sense: to sell.
לַגּוֹיִם֙  to  the  nations 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
כְּדֵ֣י  According  to  ability 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בְּדֵי 
Sense: sufficiency, enough.
בָ֔נוּ  our 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
וְגַם־  and  indeed  even 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
תִּמְכְּר֥וּ  will  sell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: מָכַר  
Sense: to sell.
؟ אֲחֵיכֶ֖ם  your  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וְנִמְכְּרוּ־  Or  should  they  be  sold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָכַר  
Sense: to sell.
לָ֑נוּ  to  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
וַֽיַּחֲרִ֔ישׁוּ  and  they  were  silenced 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָרַשׁ 
Sense: to cut in, plough, engrave, devise.
וְלֹ֥א  and  nothing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
מָצְא֖וּ  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
דָּבָֽר  [to  [say] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation