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New Living Translation

Nehemiah 5:14

For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes—neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Artaxerxes;   Civil Service;   Country;   Example;   Government;   Integrity;   Kindness;   Love;   Persia;   Rulers;   Unselfishness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Nehemiah;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Nehemiah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - King;   Nehemiah;   Persia;   Ruler;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Governor;   Jubilee;   Tatnai;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Malachi;   Province;   Taxes;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Governor;   Judah;   Nehemiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Artaxerxes;   Debt;   Government;   Malachi;   Nehemiah;   Nehemiah, Book of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Assyria;   Cup-bearer;   Nehemiah;   Tax taxing taxation;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Adoni'kam,;   Taxes;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Tobiah;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cupbearer;   Ezra-Nehemiah;   Governor;   Malachi;   Tax;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Artaxerxes I;   Peḥah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah—from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, twelve years—I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor.
Hebrew Names Version
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Yehudah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artachshasta the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.
King James Version
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
English Standard Version
Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.
New Century Version
I was appointed governor in the land of Judah in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' rule. I was governor of Judah for twelve years, until his thirty-second year. During that time neither my brothers nor I ate the food that was allowed for a governor.
New English Translation
From the day that I was appointed governor in the land of Judah, that is, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes—twelve years in all—neither I nor my relatives ate the food allotted to the governor.
Amplified Bible
Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my relatives have eaten the governor's food allowance.
New American Standard Bible
Furthermore, since the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor's food allowance.
World English Bible
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And from the time that the King gaue me charge to be gouernour in the lande of Iudah, from the twentieth yeere, euen vnto the two and thirtieth yeere of King Artahshashte, that is, twelue yeere, I, and my brethren haue not eaten the bread of the gouernour.
Legacy Standard Bible
Moreover, from the day that I was put in command to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my relatives have eaten the governor's food allowance.
Berean Standard Bible
Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (12 years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.
Contemporary English Version
I was governor of Judah from the twentieth year that Artaxerxes was king until the thirty-second year. And during these entire twelve years, my relatives and I refused to accept the food that I was allowed.
Complete Jewish Bible
Besides that, from the time I was appointed their governor in the land of Y'hudah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of Artach'shashta the king — that is, for twelve years — neither I nor my colleagues drew on the governor's living allowance.
Darby Translation
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
Easy-to-Read Version
And also, during the whole time that I was appointed to be governor in the land of Judah, neither my brothers nor I ate the food that was allowed for the governor. I never forced the people to pay taxes to buy my food. I was governor from the 20th year until the 32nd year that Artaxerxes was king. I was governor of Judah for twelve years.
George Lamsa Translation
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artakhshisht the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers were leaders over them, but I never took by force even a donkey of one of them nor did I bother any one of them.
Good News Translation
During all the twelve years that I was governor of the land of Judah, from the twentieth year that Artaxerxes was emperor until his thirty-second year, neither my relatives nor I ate the food I was entitled to have as governor.
Lexham English Bible
Moreover, from the appointed day I was made their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes—twelve years. My brothers and I did not eat the food allowance of the governor.
Literal Translation
And from the time that I was chosen to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brothers did not eat the bread of the governor.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And from the tyme forth that it was commytted vnto me to be a Debyte in the londe of Iuda, namely from the twentieth yeare vnto the two and thirtieth yeare off kynge Artaxerses (that is twolue yeare) I and my brethre lyued not of soch sustenaunbe as was geuen to a Debyte:
American Standard Version
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
Bible in Basic English
Now from the time when I was made ruler of the people in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year till the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, I and my servants have never taken the food which was the right of the ruler.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And from the time foorth that the king committed vnto me to be captayne of them that were in the lande of Iuda, euen from the twentie yere, vnto the thirtie & two yere of king Artaxerxes, that is twelue yeres, I with my brethre liued not of such sustinaunce as was geuen to a captayne.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
King James Version (1611)
Moreouer, from the time that I was appointed to be their gouernor in the land of Iudah, from the twentieth yeere euen vnto the two and thirtieth yere of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelue yeres, I and my brethren, haue not eaten the bread of the gouernour:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
From the day that he charged me to be their ruler in the land of Juda, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Arthasastha, twelve years, I and my brethren ate not provision extorted from them.
English Revised Version
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe fro that dai in which the kyng hadde comaundid to me, that Y schulde be duyk in the lond of Juda, fro the twentithe yeer `til to the two and threttithe yeer of Artaxerses kyng, bi twelue yeer, Y and my britheren eeten not sustenauncis, that weren due to duykis.
Update Bible Version
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor.
Webster's Bible Translation
Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
New King James Version
Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor's provisions.
New Life Bible
Also, in the twelve years after I was chosen to be their ruler in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, I and my brothers did not eat the food allowed to the ruler.
New Revised Standard
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Moreover, from the day I was commanded to become their pasha in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year, even unto the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brethren, pasha's bread, have not eaten;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And from the day, in which the king commanded me to be governor in the land of Juda, from the twentieth year even to the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, I and my brethren did not eat the yearly allowance that was due to the governors.
Revised Standard Version
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Ar-ta-xerx'es the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brethren ate the food allowance of the governor.
Young's Literal Translation
Also, from the day that he appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes the king -- twelve years -- I, and my brethren, the bread of the governor have not eaten:
THE MESSAGE
From the time King Artaxerxes appointed me as their governor in the land of Judah—from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of his reign, twelve years—neither I nor my brothers used the governor's food allowance. Governors who had preceded me had oppressed the people by taxing them forty shekels of silver (about a pound) a day for food and wine while their underlings bullied the people unmercifully. But out of fear of God I did none of that. I had work to do; I worked on this wall. All my men were on the job to do the work. We didn't have time to line our own pockets.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor's food allowance.

Contextual Overview

14 For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes—neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance. 15 The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way. 16 I also devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. And I required all my servants to spend time working on the wall. 17 I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands! 18 The provisions I paid for each day included one ox, six choice sheep or goats, and a large number of poultry. And every ten days we needed a large supply of all kinds of wine. Yet I refused to claim the governor's food allowance because the people already carried a heavy burden. 19 Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

from the twentieth: Nehemiah 2:1, Nehemiah 13:6

I and my: 1 Corinthians 9:4-15, 1 Corinthians 9:18, 2 Thessalonians 3:8, 2 Thessalonians 3:9

the bread: Ezra 4:13, Ezra 4:14, Romans 13:6, Romans 13:7

Reciprocal: Judges 8:29 - in his own house 2 Samuel 23:3 - ruling Nehemiah 2:6 - I set him a time Nehemiah 5:18 - required Haggai 1:1 - governor Matthew 25:16 - went John 8:14 - yet 2 Corinthians 12:18 - in the same steps

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah,.... That is, by the king of Persia, which was not done when he was first sent into Judea; but very probably when he had finished the wall in fifty two days, he returned to Persia, and gave the king an account of his success, and how things stood in those parts, when he judged it necessary to send him again in the character of a governor, and which was still within the same year, as follows: from the twentieth year, even unto the thirty second year of Artaxerxes, that is, twelve years; see Nehemiah 13:6.

I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor; which was fit and proper for him, and used to be given him; neither he, nor those that assisted him in the government, the principal men he brought along with him, and put into posts and places under him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Have not eaten the bread of the governor - i. e. “have not, like other Persian governors, lived at the expense of the people under my government.” See Ezra 4:14 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. — From what is related here, and in the following verse, we find that the table of the governor was always supplied by the people with bread and wine; and, besides, they had forty shekels per diem for their other expenses. The people were also greatly oppressed by the servants and officers of the governor; but, during the twelve years that Nehemiah had been with them, he took not this salary, and ate none of their bread. Nor were his servants permitted to take or exact any thing from them. Having such an example, it was scandalous for their chiefs, priests, and nobles, thus to oppress an afflicted and distressed people.


 
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