Neh 5:18

“And what was prepared And every day they ate at my table one ox, six sheep and many birds. prepared Heb. בְּרֻרוֹת. Its interpretation is according to the context: six prepared sheep, like the matter that is stated (I Sam. 25:18): “...five prepared (עֲשׂוּיוֹת) sheep.” were prepared for me Heb. נַעֲשּׂוּ, an expression of preparation, like (Gen. 18:8): “...and the calf that he had prepared (עָשָּׂה).” and as much as ten days’ supply Heb. וּבֵין עֲשֶּׂרֶת יָמִים, lit. and between ten days. And every day they drank much wine, the amount that suffices for ten days. and for this Heb. וְעִם זֶה ; and this procedure, for which I used to make such big expenditures. food of the tax, which is fit for the governor, I did not seek, and I did not request it of the people, for the work of the building of the wall was heavy and strong upon them.”

“One ox, and six choice sheep - This was food sufficient for more than two hundred men. Once in ten days store of all sorts of wine - It is supposed that every tenth day they drank wine; at all other times they drank water; unless we suppose the meaning of the phrase to be, that his servants laid in a stock of wine every ten days. Though the Asiatics drank sparingly of wine, yet it is not very likely that, in a case such as that above, wine was tasted only thrice in each month. Bishop Pococke mentions the manner in which the bey of Tunis lived. He had daily twelve sheep, with fish, fowls, soups, oranges, eggs, onions, boiled rice, etc., etc., His nobles dined with him; after they had done, the servants sat down; and, when they had finished, the poor took what was left. Here is no mention of a fat ox; but there were six sheep at the bey's table more than were at the table of Nehemiah: so the twelve sheep were equal to six sheep and one ox. Probably the mode of living between these two was nearly alike.”