Nehemiah 5:11
What does Nehemiah 5:11 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 5:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 5:11 means
Nehemiah calls for immediate, tangible restitution: return the fields, vineyards, oliveyards, and houses to their owners, and also give back “the hundredth part” of money and provisions exacted from them. The command is practical and specific, aiming not only to stop future abuse but to repair the damage already done. By naming grain, new wine, and oil, he addresses staple resources essential for survival and worship. The insistence on “even this day” adds urgency; justice delayed is justice denied. The verse illustrates that repentance in matters of injustice includes restoration, not merely regret.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Give back to them this very day their fields, their vine-gardens, their olive-gardens, and their houses, as well as a hundredth part of the money and the grain and the wine and the oil which you have taken from them.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Give back, I pray you, to them, as to-day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houses, and the hundredth <FI>part<Fi> of the money, and of the corn, of the new wine, and of the oil, that ye are exacting of them.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Restore ye to them this day their fields, and their vineyards, and their oliveyards, and their houses: and the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, which you were wont to exact of them, give it rather for them.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Restore, I pray you, to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive-gardens, and their houses, also the hundredth [part] of the money, and of the corn, the wine and the oil, that ye have exacted of them.
Context
Following the general call to end usury in verse 10, verse 11 details the required restitution. This prepares for verse 12, where the nobles and rulers publicly agree to Nehemiah’s demands. The comprehensive nature of the restoration sets a clear standard for genuine reform. The oath and symbolic act in verse 13 will then secure compliance, turning promises into covenantal commitments before God and the community.
v.10And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, do lend them money and grain. I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
v.11This passage
v.12Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 3:8
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
- 1 Samuel 12:3
Here I am: witness against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I taken a ransom to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
- Isaiah 58:6
Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
- 2 Samuel 12:6
and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
- Leviticus 6:4
then it shall be, if he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he hath gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,
- Nehemiah 5:3
Some also there were that said, We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses: let us get grain, because of the dearth.
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