And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
And I said to them, 'We have used our resources to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold as slaves to foreigners. Now you want to sell your own people as slaves? Should they have to be sold to us?' Then they were silent and couldn't think of anything to say in response.
Nehemiah confronted wealthy Jews who were enslaving their own people, pointing out the contradiction of rescuing Jews from foreign slavery while creating more slavery among themselves.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred around 445 BC when Nehemiah was governor of Jerusalem after the Jews returned from Babylonian exile. Economic hardship had forced poor Jews to sell themselves or their children into slavery to wealthier Jews to pay debts or buy food. Nehemiah and other leaders had been using their own money to buy back Jews who had been sold to foreign nations.
Ask the AI Assistant
Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.