Forty shekels of silver - A daily sum from the entire province. For such a table as that kept by Nehemiah Nehemiah 5:18, this would be a very moderate payment.
Related Commentaries of Nehemiah 5:15
Nehemiah 5:15
15 But the former governors 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.