Note: My church small group studies are going to be studying the Book of Nehemiah together for the first half of the year. I am writing these series of posts to collect important bits of information that will hopefully help us illumine the text. The text in Nehemiah Chapter 5:14-19 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration [ b ] forty shekels [ c ] of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us ...