Matthew Poole and continuators on Nehemiah 5:15

15 But the former governours that had been before me, were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver , yea even their servants bare rule over the people ▪ but so did not I, because of the fear of God .

Not Ezra, who was no Governour, but only a Priest sent to teach them and to rectify Church-abuses, nor Zerubbabel, but others between him and Nehemiah, whom he forbears to name, because he designed not to disgrace any Person but only to reform the abuses.

Which they required of the people for every day to defray their other expences.

i. e. Ruled them with rigour and cruelty: which fault of the servants is charged upon their Masters, the former Governours, because they did not restrain nor punish them.

Because I feared to break Gods Commands, or to incur his displeasure by such immoderate and unseasonable Oppressions of the People. This he speaks not to commend himself, but rather to diminish his Praise, and to shew that this was no heroical Action▪ nor work of Supererogation, to be admired rather than imitated; but only his Duty in that case, which for his own sake he durst not decline; and consequently that it was their Duty also not to relinquish even those rights which in other times and conditions they might lawfully require.