Lectionary Calendar
Monday, December 22nd, 2025
the Fourth Week of Advent
the Fourth Week of Advent
video advertismenet
advertisement
advertisement
advertisement
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!
Click here to join the effort!
Read the Bible
Good News Translation
Nehemiah 5:2
Some said, "We have large families, we need grain to keep us alive."
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.”
Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.”
Hebrew Names Version
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
King James Version
For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
English Standard Version
For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive."
For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive."
New Century Version
Some of them were saying, "We have many sons and daughters in our families. To eat and stay alive, we need grain."
Some of them were saying, "We have many sons and daughters in our families. To eat and stay alive, we need grain."
New English Translation
There were those who said, "With our sons and daughters, we are many. We must obtain grain in order to eat and stay alive."
There were those who said, "With our sons and daughters, we are many. We must obtain grain in order to eat and stay alive."
Amplified Bible
For there were some who were saying, "We, along with our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore allow us to get grain, so that we may eat and survive."
For there were some who were saying, "We, along with our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore allow us to get grain, so that we may eat and survive."
New American Standard Bible
For there were those who said, "We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let's get grain so that we may eat and live."
For there were those who said, "We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let's get grain so that we may eat and live."
World English Bible
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For there were that said, We, our sonnes & our daughters are many, therefore we take vp corne, that we may eate and liue.
For there were that said, We, our sonnes & our daughters are many, therefore we take vp corne, that we may eate and liue.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now there were those who were saying, "We, with our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live."
Now there were those who were saying, "We, with our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live."
Berean Standard Bible
Some were saying, "We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive."
Some were saying, "We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive."
Contemporary English Version
and said, "We have large families, and it takes a lot of grain merely to keep them alive."
and said, "We have large families, and it takes a lot of grain merely to keep them alive."
Complete Jewish Bible
Some of them said, "Counting our sons and daughters, there are a lot of us! Allow us to get grain for them, so that we can eat and stay alive."
Some of them said, "Counting our sons and daughters, there are a lot of us! Allow us to get grain for them, so that we can eat and stay alive."
Darby Translation
And there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many, and we must procure corn that we may eat and live.
And there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many, and we must procure corn that we may eat and live.
Easy-to-Read Version
Some of them were saying, "We have many children. We must get some grain if we are going to eat and stay alive."
Some of them were saying, "We have many children. We must get some grain if we are going to eat and stay alive."
George Lamsa Translation
For there were those who said, Our sons and our daughters and our brothers are many; therefore let us purchase grain that we may eat and live.
For there were those who said, Our sons and our daughters and our brothers are many; therefore let us purchase grain that we may eat and live.
Lexham English Bible
There were those who were saying, "Our sons and daughters, we are many. We must get grain so that we may eat and live."
There were those who were saying, "Our sons and daughters, we are many. We must get grain so that we may eat and live."
Literal Translation
For some were saying, With our sons and our daughters, we are many. Let us take up grain for them, so that we may eat and live.
For some were saying, With our sons and our daughters, we are many. Let us take up grain for them, so that we may eat and live.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And there were some yt sayde: oure sonnes and doughters are to many, let vs take corne for the, & eate, that we maye lyue.
And there were some yt sayde: oure sonnes and doughters are to many, let vs take corne for the, & eate, that we maye lyue.
American Standard Version
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
Bible in Basic English
For there were some who said, We, our sons and our daughters, are a great number: let us get grain, so that we may have food for our needs.
For there were some who said, We, our sons and our daughters, are a great number: let us get grain, so that we may have food for our needs.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For there were some that saide, Our sonnes and daughters and we are very many: therefore wyll we take corne for them, that we may eate and liue.
For there were some that saide, Our sonnes and daughters and we are very many: therefore wyll we take corne for them, that we may eate and liue.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For there were that said: 'We, our sons and our daughters, are many; let us get for them corn, that we may eat and live.'
For there were that said: 'We, our sons and our daughters, are many; let us get for them corn, that we may eat and live.'
King James Version (1611)
For there were that said, We, our sonnes, and our daughters are many: therefore wee take vp corne for them, that we may eat, and liue.
For there were that said, We, our sonnes, and our daughters are many: therefore wee take vp corne for them, that we may eat, and liue.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And some said, We are numerous with our sons and our daughters; so we will take corn, and eat, and live.
And some said, We are numerous with our sons and our daughters; so we will take corn, and eat, and live.
English Revised Version
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get corn, that we may eat and live.
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get corn, that we may eat and live.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And there weren that seiden, Oure sones and oure douytris ben ful manye; take we wheete for the prijs of hem, and ete we, and lyue.
And there weren that seiden, Oure sones and oure douytris ben ful manye; take we wheete for the prijs of hem, and ete we, and lyue.
Update Bible Version
For there were some that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
For there were some that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
Webster's Bible Translation
For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, [are] many: therefore we take up corn [for them], that we may eat, and live.
For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, [are] many: therefore we take up corn [for them], that we may eat, and live.
New King James Version
For there were those who said, "We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live."
For there were those who said, "We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live."
New Living Translation
They were saying, "We have such large families. We need more food to survive."
They were saying, "We have such large families. We need more food to survive."
New Life Bible
For some said, "We, our sons and our daughters are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live."
For some said, "We, our sons and our daughters are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live."
New Revised Standard
For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay alive."
For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay alive."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And there were some who were saying, Our sons and our daughters, are we pledging, - that we may obtain corn, and eat, and keep ourselves alive.
And there were some who were saying, Our sons and our daughters, are we pledging, - that we may obtain corn, and eat, and keep ourselves alive.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And there were some that said: Our sons and our daughters are very many: let us take up corn for the price of them, and let us eat and live.
And there were some that said: Our sons and our daughters are very many: let us take up corn for the price of them, and let us eat and live.
Revised Standard Version
For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many; let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive."
For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many; let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive."
Young's Literal Translation
yea, there are who are saying, `Our sons, and our daughters, we -- are many, and we receive corn, and eat, and live.'
yea, there are who are saying, `Our sons, and our daughters, we -- are many, and we receive corn, and eat, and live.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
For there were those who said, "We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live."
For there were those who said, "We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain that we may eat and live."
Contextual Overview
1 Some time later many of the people, both men and women, began to complain against the other Jews. 2 Some said, "We have large families, we need grain to keep us alive." 3 Others said, "We have had to mortgage our fields and vineyards and houses to get enough grain to keep us from starving." 4 Still others said, "We had to borrow money to pay the royal tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 We are of the same race as the other Jews. Aren't our children just as good as theirs? But we have to make slaves of our children. Some of our daughters have already been sold as slaves. We are helpless because our fields and vineyards have been taken away from us."
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
our sons: Psalms 127:3-5, Psalms 128:2-4, Malachi 2:2
we take up corn: Genesis 41:57, Genesis 42:2, Genesis 43:8
Reciprocal: Genesis 47:19 - buy us Exodus 22:25 - General Deuteronomy 28:32 - sons 2 Kings 4:1 - the creditor Job 29:12 - I delivered Psalms 15:5 - putteth
Cross-References
Genesis 1:27
So God created human beings, making them to be like himself. He created them male and female,
So God created human beings, making them to be like himself. He created them male and female,
Genesis 2:15
Then the Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it.
Then the Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it.
Genesis 2:23
Then the man said, "At last, here is one of my own kind— Bone taken from my bone, and flesh from my flesh. ‘Woman' is her name because she was taken out of man."
Then the man said, "At last, here is one of my own kind— Bone taken from my bone, and flesh from my flesh. ‘Woman' is her name because she was taken out of man."
Malachi 2:15
Didn't God make you one body and spirit with her? What was his purpose in this? It was that you should have children who are truly God's people. So make sure that none of you breaks his promise to his wife.
Didn't God make you one body and spirit with her? What was his purpose in this? It was that you should have children who are truly God's people. So make sure that none of you breaks his promise to his wife.
Matthew 19:4
Jesus answered, "Haven't you read the scripture that says that in the beginning the Creator made people male and female?
Jesus answered, "Haven't you read the scripture that says that in the beginning the Creator made people male and female?
Mark 10:6
But in the beginning, at the time of creation, ‘God made them male and female,' as the scripture says.
But in the beginning, at the time of creation, ‘God made them male and female,' as the scripture says.
Acts 17:26
From one human being he created all races of people and made them live throughout the whole earth. He himself fixed beforehand the exact times and the limits of the places where they would live.
From one human being he created all races of people and made them live throughout the whole earth. He himself fixed beforehand the exact times and the limits of the places where they would live.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For there were that said, we, our sons, and our daughters, are many,.... Not that they complained of the number of their children, for a numerous offspring was always reckoned a blessing with the Jews; but this they observed to show that their families, being large, required a considerable quantity of food to support them:
therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat and live; that is, they were obliged to take it at an exorbitant price, which is the thing complained of; or otherwise they must starve, the rich taking the advantage of their poverty and present dearth.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Are many - A slight emendation brings this verse into exact parallelism with the next, and gives the sense - “We have pledged our sons and our daughters, that we might get corn, and eat and live.” Compare Nehemiah 5:5.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Nehemiah 5:2. We, our sons, and our daughters, are many — Our families are larger than we can provide for; we are obliged to go in debt; and our richer brethren take advantage of our necessitous situation, and oppress us. The details which are given in the next verse are sufficiently plain.
