SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:3
Y había quienes decían: Hemos empeņado nuestras tierras, y nuestras viņas, y nuestras casas, para comprar grano en el hambre.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 5:3
Verse 3. Because of the dearth.] About the time of ZerubbHebel, God had sent a judicial dearth upon the land, as we learn from Haggai, Haggai i. 9, &c., for the people it seems were more intent on building houses for themselves than on rebuilding the house of the Lord: "Ye looked for much, and, lo, it is come to little; because of mine house that is waste; and ye run, every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground brought forth; and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands." This dearth might have been continued, or its effects still felt; but it is more likely that there was a new dearth owing to the great number of people, for whose support the land that had been brought into cultivation was not sufficient.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. Some also there were that said, we have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses , etc.] Made them over to others, put them into their hands as pledges for money received of them: that we may buy corn ; for the support of their families: because of the dearth ; or famine; which might be occasioned by their enemies lying in wait and intercepting all provisions that might be brought to them; for this seems not to be the famine spoken of in ( Haggai 1:10,11) for that was some years before this, and for a reason which now was not.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Men prey upon their fellow-creatures: by despising the poor the reproach their Maker. Such conduct is a disgrace to any, but who can sufficiently abhor it when adopted by professing Christians? With compassion for the oppressed, we should lament the hardships which man in the world are groaning under; putting our souls into their souls stead, and remembering in our prayers and succours those who ar burdened. But let those who show no mercy, expect judgment withou mercy.
Original Hebrew
וישׁ 3426 אשׁר 834 אמרים 559 שׂדתינו 7704 וכרמינו 3754 ובתינו 1004 אנחנו 587 ערבים 6148 ונקחה 3947 דגן 1715 ברעב׃ 7458
