The Meaning of Nehemiah 5:9 Explained

Nehemiah 5:9

KJV: Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

YLT: And I say, 'Not good is the thing that ye are doing; in the fear of our God do ye not walk, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?

Darby: And I said, The thing that ye do is not good. Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, so as not to be the reproach of the nations our enemies?

ASV: Also I said, The thing that ye do is not good: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Also I said,  It [is] not good  that  ye do:  ought ye not to walk  in the fear  of our God  because of the reproach  of the heathen  our enemies? 

What does Nehemiah 5:9 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 5:9 mean?

- Then I said not [is] good that what you are doing Should not in the fear of our God you walk because of the reproach of the nations our enemies
[ויאמר] (וָאוֹמַ֕ר‪‬‪‬) לֹא־ ט֥וֹב הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁר־ אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֑ים הֲל֞וֹא בְּיִרְאַ֤ת אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ תֵּלֵ֔כוּ מֵחֶרְפַּ֖ת הַגּוֹיִ֥ם ؟ אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ

[ויאמר]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֲבֵדָה  
Sense: a lost thing, something lost.
(וָאוֹמַ֕ר‪‬‪‬)  Then  I  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
ט֥וֹב  [is]  good 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
הַדָּבָ֖ר  that 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
עֹשִׂ֑ים  are  doing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הֲל֞וֹא  Should  not 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
בְּיִרְאַ֤ת  in  the  fear 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יִרְאָה  
Sense: fear, terror, fearing.
אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙  of  our  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
תֵּלֵ֔כוּ  you  walk 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
מֵחֶרְפַּ֖ת  because  of  the  reproach 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֶרְפָּה  
Sense: reproach, scorn.
הַגּוֹיִ֥ם  of  the  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
؟ אוֹיְבֵֽינוּ  our  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.