Nehemiah 5

1 About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.

2 Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”

3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”

4 Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.

5 We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6 When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,

7 and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them

8 and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.

9 So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?

10 I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury.

11 Please restore to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you have been assessing them.”

12 “We will restore it,” they replied, “and will require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and required of the nobles and officials an oath that they would do what they had promised.

13 I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.

14 Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (twelve years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.

15 The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people. But I did not do this, because of my fear of God.

16 Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my servants were gathered there for the work; we did not acquire any land.

17 There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations.

18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was provided. But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.

19 Remember me favorably, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.

1 ¶ And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, [are] many: therefore we take up corn [for them], that we may eat, and live.

3 [Some] also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, [and that upon] our lands and vineyards.

5 Yet now our flesh [is] as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and [some] of our daughters are brought unto bondage [already]: neither [is it] in our power [to redeem them]; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

6 ¶ And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.

8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing [to answer].

9 Also I said, It [is] not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

10 I likewise, [and] my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth [part] of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.

12 Then said they, We will restore [them], and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And 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 unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that is], twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

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.

16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants [were] gathered thither unto the work.

17 Moreover [there were] at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that [are] about us.

18 Now [that] which was prepared [for me] daily [was] one ox [and] six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

19 Think upon me, my God, for good, [according] to all that I have done for this people.

1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2 And there were some that said: Our sons and our daughters are many; let us take corn, and eat that we may live.

3 But some said: Let us move our fields, our vineyards, and our houses, and let us take grain in the harvest.

4 And some said: Let us lend money at interest unto the king upon our fields and upon our vineyards.

5 For the body of our brethren is as our body, and their children as our children: otherwise we would subject our sons and our daughters to service, and some of our daughters are already subject, and there is no wealth in our hands; neither would our fields and our vineyards be subject to another.

6 And when I heard their crying and their words, I was very wroth.

7 And my heart was in counsel with me, and I rebuked the counsellors and the rulers, and said unto them: Will ye practice usury one upon another? And I brought a great congregation against them.

8 And said unto them: We have bought our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the Gentiles, according to our ability: and will ye also sell your brethren, whom we have bought unto us? Then they held their peace, and found nothing to answer.

9 And I said, It is not good that ye do this. Shall ye not walk in the fear of God for the reproach of the heathen our enemies?

10 I also, and my brethren, and my young men, have given them money, and corn: but we have abated usury.

11 Restore therefore this day unto them their fields, and their vineyards, and their oliveyards, and their houses, and the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, and of the wine, and of the oil, which ye have multiplied of them.

12 And they said: We will give it again, and will require nothing of them, and will do as thou hast said. And I called unto the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do so.

13 And I shook out my bosom, and said, So let God shake out every man from his house, and from his work, who hath not kept this word, that he may be shaken out, and be empty. And all the congregation said, Amen; and they praised the LORD. And the people did so.

14 And from the time that I was commanded to be a governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the thirty and second year of Arthahsaxerxes the king, even twelve years, I nourished not myself nor my brethren with the food of the governors.

15 For the former governors that were before me had afflicted the people, and taken of them bread, and wine, and forty shekels of silver; and their young men had taken the people by force. But I did no such thing for the fear of God.

16 Neither did I work upon the wall, nor buy any field: and all my lads had to come there to the work in abundance.

17 And there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, which came unto me out of the heathen that are round about us.

18 And they made me one bullock that day, and six chosen. And sheep, and fowls, and all manner of wine for ten days in the midst thereof. And I asked not yet the fare of the governors: for the service was heavy upon the people.

19 Remember me, O my God, for the best of all that I have done to this people.