From the early Church Fathers to now.
1 Jewish · 2 Reformed
“But the former governors that had been before me, were chargeable to the people, and took of them in bread, and wine, and in money every day forty sides: and their officers also oppressed the people. But I did not so for the fear of God.”
“burdened the people Heb. הִכְבִּידוּ, lit. made heavy. They made the tax heavy upon the people. and took They would take bread and wine from them for the tax after they had already given forty silver shekels, and they were accustomed to doing this every year. also their servants [i.e., the servants] of the governors.”
“Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall,.... Of building the wall of Jerusalem; here he gave his constant attendance to direct and encourage the workmen, and see that they kept to their work, and did it well: neither bought we any land; neither he nor the principal men with him, though they could have bought it cheap, but they chose not to take the advantage of the poverty of the people: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work: all were employed in it, taking no wages for their work, being maintained at his expense.”
“the former governors . . . had taken . . . bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver--The income of Eastern governors is paid partly in produce, partly in money. "Bread" means all sorts of provision. The forty shekels of silver per day would amount to a yearly salary of £1800 sterling.”
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.