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.
Every day, one ox and six choice sheep were prepared for me, along with birds for cooking. Every ten days, I received plenty of wine of all kinds. But despite all this, I didn't demand the food allowance that governors were entitled to, because the people were already carrying a heavy burden.
Nehemiah chose not to take the food allowance he was entitled to as governor because he didn't want to add to the people's financial struggles.
📚 Historical Context
Nehemiah was the Persian-appointed governor of Judah who led the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls around 445 BC. Persian governors typically received substantial food allowances funded by local taxes, which could be a significant burden on the people. Nehemiah was writing about his twelve-year term as governor and how he chose to forgo these privileges.
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