Nehemiah 5:7-9

New Catholic Bible

⁷ After having considered the various options, I threatened to bring charges against the nobles and the magistrates, accusing them of exacting interest from their own kinsmen.

Then I summoned a great assembly to deal with them, ⁸ and I said to them: “As far as it was humanly possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. However, now you are selling your own brothers and thus forcing us to purchase them back.” They remained silent, for they were unable to come up with a satisfactory reply.

⁹ Therefore, I said: “What you are doing is terribly wrong. Should you not walk in the fear of our God and make clear that you are not at all concerned with the taunts of the nations who are our enemies?