But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
But the governors who served before me had burdened the people, taking their bread and wine plus forty pieces of silver from them. Even their servants had power over the people. But I didn't do this because I feared God.
Nehemiah is explaining that unlike previous governors who heavily taxed and mistreated the people, he chose not to abuse his power because he respected God.
📚 Historical Context
Nehemiah was the Persian-appointed governor of Judah around 445 BC, tasked with rebuilding Jerusalem's walls. Previous governors had apparently exploited their positions by demanding excessive taxes and provisions from the already struggling Jewish population who had returned from exile. Nehemiah chose to govern differently, funding his own administration rather than burdening the people.
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