Nehemiah 5:6-13

English Standard Version

⁶I was very angry when I heard ^(A)their outcry and these words. ⁷I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, ^(B)“You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them ⁸and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, ^(C)have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. ⁹So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk ^(D)in the fear of our God ^(E)to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? ¹⁰Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. ¹¹Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” ¹²Then they said, “We will restore these and ^(F)require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and ^(G)made them swear ^(H)to do as they had promised. ¹³^(I)I also shook out the fold^[a] of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” ^(J)And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

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Notas al pie

Nehemiah 5:13 Hebrew bosom

Nehemiah 5:6-13

New International Version

⁶When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. ⁷I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!”^(A) So I called together a large meeting to deal with them ⁸and said: “As far as possible, we have bought^(B) back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.^(C)

⁹So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach^(D) of our Gentile enemies? ¹⁰I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest!^(E) ¹¹Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest^(F) you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”

¹²“We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”

Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath^(G) to do what they had promised. ¹³I also shook^(H) out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”

At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,”^(I) and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

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