The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Nehemiah 05
1 Then there arose a great cry of the
people and of their wives against their
brothers the Jews.
2 For there were some who said, “We, our
sons and our daughters, are many. Let us
get grain, that we may eat and live.”
3 There were also some who said, “We
are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards,
and our houses. Let us get grain, because
of the famine.”
4 There were also some who said, “We
have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as
collateral.
5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our
brothers, our children as their children.
Behold,† we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some
of our daughters have been brought into
bondage. It is also not in our power to help
it, because other men have our fields and
our vineyards.”
6 I was very angry when I heard their cry
and these words.
7 Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and
said to them, “You exact usury, everyone
of his brother.” I held a great assembly
against them.
8 I said to them, “We, after our ability,
have redeemed our brothers the Jews that
were sold to the nations; and would you
even sell your brothers, and should they
be sold to us?” Then they held their peace,
and found not a word to say.
9 Also I said, “The thing that you do is not
good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our
Godbecause ofthe reproachofthenations,
our enemies?
10 I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please
let us stop this usury.
11 Please restore to them, even today,
their fields, their vineyards, their olive
groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you are
charging them.”
12 Then they said, “We will restore them,
and will require nothing of them. We will
do so, even as you say.”
Then I called the priests, and took an
oath ofthem, thatthey would do according
to this promise.
13 Also I shook out my lap, and said, “So
may God shake out every man from his
house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise; even may he be shaken
out and emptied like this.”
All the assembly said, “Amen,” and
praised Yahweh. The people did according
to this promise.
14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of
Judah, from the twentieth year even to the
thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king,
that is, twelve years, I and my brothers
have not eaten the bread of the governor.
15 But the former governors who were
before me were supported by the people,
and took bread and wine from them, plus
forty shekels‡ of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over
the people, but I didn’t do
so, because of the fear of God.
16 Yes, I also continued in the work of
this wall. We didn’t buy any land. All my
servants were gathered there to the work.
17 Moreover there were at my table, of
the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty
men, in addition to those who came to us
from among the nations that were around
us.
18 Now that which was prepared for one
day was one ox and six choice sheep. Also
fowls were prepared for me, and once in
ten days a store of all sorts of wine. Yet
for all this, I didn’t demand the governor’s
pay, because the bondage was heavy on
this people.
19 Remember me, my God, for all the
good that I have done for this people.