Nehemiah 5:9

Then I ¹  said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong! ²  Should you not conduct yourselves ³  in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies?

Ge 13:7,8; Ge 20:11; Ge 42:18; Le 25:36; 1Sa 2:24; 2Sa 12:14; Ne 5:15; Pr 16:29; Pr 17:26; Pr 18:5; Pr 19:2; Pr 24:23; Eze 36:20; Ac 9:31; Ro 2:24; 1Ti 5:14; Tit 2:5; 1Pe 2:12

¹ tc The translation reads with the Qere and the ancient versions וָאוֹמַר (va’omar, “and I said”) rather than the MT Kethib, וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyo’mer, “and he said”).

² 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.

³ tn Heb “[should you not] walk.”