The Meaning of Nehemiah 5:12 Explained

Nehemiah 5:12

KJV: Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

YLT: And they say, 'We give back, and of them we seek nothing; so we do as thou art saying.' And I call the priests, and cause them to swear to do according to this thing;

Darby: And they said, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, as thou hast said. And I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

ASV: Then 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then said  they, We will restore  [them], and will require  nothing of them; so will we do  as thou sayest.  Then I called  the priests,  and took an oath  of them, that they should do  according to this promise. 

What does Nehemiah 5:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 5:1-19 - Securing Justice For The Poor
The prospects of the poor people among the returned exiles were deplorable. There had been deficient rains and poor harvests, Haggai 1:6-11. They had mortgaged their lands to their richer brethren, and had even sold their children to pay the royal taxes and procure means of subsistence. The rich had taken advantage of their necessities, oppressing them with grievous exactions and heavy usury. When Nehemiah heard of it, he seems to have withstood the wrong with strenuous protest, depending on his God for support. And, in a great assembly, he carried the day against selfishness and greed. There is nothing here to condemn mortgage, or interest in themselves. Each is a legitimate method of trade, except when undue advantage is taken of a brother's necessities. The Nehemiah 5:14-19 were evidently added at a subsequent period to the rest of the chapter, and relate the habits of Nehemiah's administration. How full is this book of ejaculatory prayer! Even from his writing-table, this true-hearted man would lift up his eyes to God. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 5

1  The Jews complain of their debt, mortgage, and bondage
6  Nehemiah rebukes the usurers, and causes them to make a covenant of restitution
14  He forbears his own allowance, and keeps hospitality

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 5:12 mean?

So they said we will restore [it] and from them nothing will require so we will do as you say And I called - the priests and required an oath from them that they would do according to promise this
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ נָשִׁ֗יב וּמֵהֶם֙ לֹ֣א נְבַקֵּ֔שׁ כֵּ֣ן נַעֲשֶׂ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר אַתָּ֣ה אוֹמֵ֑ר וָאֶקְרָא֙ אֶת־ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וָֽאַשְׁבִּיעֵ֔ם לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת כַּדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ  So  they  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נָשִׁ֗יב  we  will  restore  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
וּמֵהֶם֙  and  from  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
לֹ֣א  nothing 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נְבַקֵּ֔שׁ  will  require 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
כֵּ֣ן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
נַעֲשֶׂ֔ה  we  will  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אוֹמֵ֑ר  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
וָאֶקְרָא֙  And  I  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וָֽאַשְׁבִּיעֵ֔ם  and  required  an  oath  from  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת  that  they  would  do 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כַּדָּבָ֥ר  according  to  promise 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.