Neh 5:9 | NET2full | STEP | Then I said , “The thing that you are doing is wrong ! Should you not conduct yourselves in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies ?

Nehemiah 5:9

9 Then I ^{▼▼tc The translation reads with the Qere and the ancient versions וָאוֹמַר (vaʾomar, “and I said”) rather than the MT Kethib, וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyoʾmer, “and he said”).} said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong! ^{▼▼tn Heb “not good.” The statement “The thing…is not good” is an example of tapeinosis, a figurative expression which emphasizes the intended point (“The thing…is wrong!”) by negating its opposite.} Should you not conduct yourselves ^{▼▼tn Heb “[should you not] walk.”} in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies?