Nehemiah 5:7-9

Living Bible

⁷ so after thinking about it I spoke out against these rich government officials.

“What is this you are doing?” I demanded. “How dare you demand a mortgage as a condition for helping another Israelite!”

Then I called a public trial to deal with them.

⁸ At the trial I shouted at them, “The rest of us are doing all we can to help our Jewish brothers who have returned from exile as slaves in distant lands, but you are forcing them right back into slavery again. How often must we redeem them?”

And they had nothing to say in their own defense.

⁹ Then I pressed further. “What you are doing is very evil,” I exclaimed. “Should you not walk in the fear of our God? Don’t we have enough enemies among the nations around us who are trying to destroy us?