The Meaning of Nehemiah 5:14 Explained

Nehemiah 5:14

KJV: Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

YLT: Also, from the day that he appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes the king -- twelve years -- I, and my brethren, the bread of the governor have not eaten:

Darby: Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

ASV: Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is , twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Moreover from the time  that I was appointed  to be their governor  in the land  of Judah,  from the twentieth  year  even unto the two  and thirtieth  year  of Artaxerxes  the king,  [that is], twelve  years,  I and my brethren  have not eaten  the bread  of the governor. 

What does Nehemiah 5:14 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 5:14 mean?

Moreover from the time that I was appointed - to be their governor in the land of Judah from the year twenty and until the year thirty and two of Artaxerxes the King years two [and] ten I and neither my brothers provisions of governor nor ate
גַּ֞ם מִיּ֣וֹם ׀ אֲשֶׁר־ צִוָּ֣ה אֹתִ֗י לִהְי֣וֹת פֶּחָם֮ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָה֒ מִשְּׁנַ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֗ים וְ֠עַד שְׁנַ֨ת שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּשְׁתַּ֙יִם֙ לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֣סְתְּא הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ שָׁנִ֖ים שְׁתֵּ֣ים עֶשְׂרֵ֑ה אֲנִ֣י וְאַחַ֔י לֶ֥חֶם הַפֶּ֖חָה לֹ֥א אָכַֽלְתִּי

גַּ֞ם  Moreover 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
מִיּ֣וֹם ׀  from  the  time 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
צִוָּ֣ה  I  was  appointed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
אֹתִ֗י  - 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לִהְי֣וֹת  to  be 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
פֶּחָם֮  their  governor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: פֶּחָה  
Sense: governor.
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
יְהוּדָה֒  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
מִשְּׁנַ֣ת  from  the  year 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
עֶשְׂרִ֗ים  twenty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: עֶשְׂרִים  
Sense: twenty, twentieth.
וְ֠עַד  and  until 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
שְׁנַ֨ת  the  year 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים  thirty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: שְׁלֹשִׁים  
Sense: thirty, thirtieth.
וּשְׁתַּ֙יִם֙  and  two 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, fd
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֣סְתְּא  of  Artaxerxes 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא 
Sense: son and successor of Xerxes as emperor of Persia, 465–424 BC.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  the  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
שָׁנִ֖ים  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
שְׁתֵּ֣ים  two 
Parse: Number, fd
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
עֶשְׂרֵ֑ה  [and]  ten 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: עָשָׂר 
Sense: ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers).
וְאַחַ֔י  and  neither  my  brothers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
לֶ֥חֶם  provisions 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
הַפֶּ֖חָה  of  governor 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּחָה  
Sense: governor.
לֹ֥א  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אָכַֽלְתִּי  ate 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.