Nehemiah 5:18
in Nehemiah 5Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was provided. But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I demanded not the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
KJV
Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
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This verse in Nehemiah 5
Commentary
8 notes on this verseOne ox, and six choice sheep - This was food sufficient for more than two hundred men. Once in ten days store of all sorts of wine - It is supposed that every tenth day they drank wine; at all other times they drank water; unless we suppose the meaning of the phrase to be, that his servants laid in a stock of wine every ten days. Though the Asiatics drank sparingly of wine, yet it is not very likely that, in a case such as that above, wine was tasted only thrice in each month.
This site's exposition
There were 150 Jews and officials at my table
on Nehemiah 5:17-18
The ledger widens into a daily account: "150 Jews and officials" ate at his table "besides the guests from the surrounding nations" (5:17). He did not demand "the food allotted to the governor," and the reason is mercy: "because the burden on the people was so heavy."
This site's exposition
one ox, six choice sheep
Clarke reckons the daily ox and six sheep enough food for more than two hundred people. Henry has Nehemiah paying for it from what he gained at the Persian court and from his own estate in Judah. The reason given is the heavy burden on the people.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
So far was he from extorting more than his due that he never demanded that, but lived upon what he had got in the king of Persia's court and his own estate in Judea: the reason he gives for this piece of self-denial is, Because the bondage was heavy upon the people.
Let those in public places remember that they were preferred to do good, not to enrich themselves; and let people in humbler stations learn to use hospitality one to another without grudging, 1 Pet. iv. He concludes with a prayer (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Compare the far grander provision for Solomon’s table (see the marginal reference).
The words behind it
31 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲשֶׁר֩ | vaasher | and [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָיָ֨ה | hayah | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| נַעֲשֶׂ֜ה | naaseh | made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לְי֣וֹם | leyom | for a day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| אֶחָ֗ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| שׁ֣וֹר | shor | [was] an ox | H7794 → | |
| אֶחָ֞ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| צֹ֠אן | tzon | sheep | H6629 → | 274 times |
| שֵׁשׁ־ | shesh- | six | H8337 → | 216 times |
| בְּרֻר֤וֹת | berurot | chosen | H1305 → | |
| וְצִפֳּרִים֙ | vetziporim | and poultry | H6833 → | |
| נַֽעֲשׂוּ־ | naasu- | they were made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לִ֔י | li | for me | ||
| וּבֵ֨ין | uvein | and between | H996 → | |
| עֲשֶׂ֧רֶת | ʾaseret | ten | H6235 → | 176 times |
| יָמִ֛ים | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יַ֖יִן | yayin | wine | H3196 → | 141 times |
| לְהַרְבֵּ֑ה | leharbeh | to abundance | H7235 → | 227 times |
| וְעִם־ | veim- | and beside | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| זֶ֗ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| לֶ֤חֶם | lechem | [the] food of | H3899 → | 298 times |
| הַפֶּחָה֙ | hapechah | the governor | H6346 → | 28 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| בִקַּ֔שְׁתִּי | vikashti | I sought | H1245 → | 225 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| כָֽבְדָ֥ה | khavedah | it was heavy | H3513 → | |
| הָעֲבֹדָ֖ה | haavodah | the service | H5656 → | 145 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָעָ֥ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הַזֶּֽה׃ | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
וַאֲשֶׁר֩and [that] which
vaasherH834 →5497 times
הָיָ֨הit was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
נַעֲשֶׂ֜הmade
naasehH6213 →2628 times
לְי֣וֹםfor a day
leyomH3117 →2304 times
אֶחָ֗דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
שׁ֣וֹר[was] an ox
shorH7794 →
אֶחָ֞דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
צֹ֠אןsheep
tzonH6629 →274 times
שֵׁשׁ־six
shesh-H8337 →216 times
בְּרֻר֤וֹתchosen
berurotH1305 →
וְצִפֳּרִים֙and poultry
vetziporimH6833 →
נַֽעֲשׂוּ־they were made
naasu-H6213 →2628 times
לִ֔יfor me
li
וּבֵ֨יןand between
uveinH996 →
עֲשֶׂ֧רֶתten
ʾaseretH6235 →176 times
יָמִ֛יםdays
yamimH3117 →2304 times
בְּכָל־in all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
יַ֖יִןwine
yayinH3196 →141 times
לְהַרְבֵּ֑הto abundance
leharbehH7235 →227 times
וְעִם־and beside
veim-H5973 →1050 times
זֶ֗הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
לֶ֤חֶם[the] food of
lechemH3899 →298 times
הַפֶּחָה֙the governor
hapechahH6346 →28 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
בִקַּ֔שְׁתִּיI sought
vikashtiH1245 →225 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
כָֽבְדָ֥הit was heavy
khavedahH3513 →
הָעֲבֹדָ֖הthe service
haavodahH5656 →145 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָעָ֥םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
הַזֶּֽה׃<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 37:21The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.
it leads to
- Psalms 112:5
It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 13:16
And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- Proverbs 22:7
The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
- Luke 6:30
Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what is yours, do not demand it back.
- Psalms 112:9
He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.
- Psalms 112:5
Through
Psalms 37:26They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing.
it leads to
- Psalms 37:21
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.
- Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
- Luke 6:35–38
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is…
- Psalms 37:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Nehemiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.