Nehemiah 5
Expanded Bible
Nehemiah Helps Poor People
5 The men and their wives ·complained [cried out] loudly against their ·fellow Jews [L Jewish brothers]. 2 Some of them were saying, “We have many sons and daughters in our families. To eat and stay alive, we need grain [C This group may have owned no land that could provide them food.].”
3 Others were saying, “We are ·borrowing money [mortgaging; C from their fellow Jews, which increased their frustration] against our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain ·because there is not much food [during the famine].”
4 And still others were saying, “We are borrowing money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 ·We are just like our fellow Jews [L Our flesh is like our brothers’ flesh], and our ·sons [children] are like their ·sons [children]. But we have to sell our sons and daughters ·as slaves [into bondage/slavery; C an often temporary servitude to satisfy debts; Ex. 21:2–11]. Some of our daughters have already been ·sold [enslaved]. But ·there is nothing we can do [we are powerless/helpless], because our fields and vineyards already belong to other people.”
6 When I heard their ·complaints about these things [L outcry and these words], I was very angry. 7 After ·I thought about [reflecting on] it, I ·accused [reprimanded] the ·important people [nobles] and ·leaders [officials], “You are ·charging your own ·brothers [kinsmen] interest [committing usury; C in these situations, lenders were not to make a profit; Deut. 24:10; Prov. 22:26].” So I called a ·large meeting to deal with [great assembly against] them. 8 I said to them, “·As much as possible [To the best of our ability], we have ·bought freedom for [redeemed] our fellow Jews who had been sold to ·foreigners [L the Gentiles]. Now you are selling your fellow Jews to us [C the creditors were selling their fellow Jews into slavery, requiring Nehemiah and others to buy them back]!” ·The leaders [L They] were ·quiet [silent] and ·had nothing [L couldn’t find a word] to say.
9 Then I said, “What you are doing is not ·right [good]. ·Don’t you fear [L Should you not walk in fear of] God [Prov. 1:7]? Don’t let our ·foreign [Gentile] enemies shame us. 10 I, my ·brothers [colleagues], and my ·men [servants] are lending money and grain to the people. But stop charging them ·for this [interest]. 11 Give back their fields, vineyards, olive trees, and houses ·right now [L this very day]. Also give back the ·extra amount [interest] you charged—·the hundredth part [one percent] of the money, grain, new wine, and oil.”
12 They said, “We will give it back and not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”
Then I called for the priests, and I made the ·important people [nobles] and ·leaders [officials] ·take an oath [swear; vow] to do what they had ·said [promised]. 13 Also I shook out the folds of my ·robe [L bosom] and said, “In this way may God shake out everyone who does not ·keep his [fulfill/L cause to stand this] promise. May God shake him out of his house and ·out of the things that are his [his possessions/property]. Let that person be shaken out and emptied!”
Then the whole ·group [assembly] said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. So the people did what they had ·promised [sworn; vowed].
14 I was appointed governor in the land of Judah in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ rule [C 445 bc]. I was governor of Judah for twelve years, until his thirty-second year. During that time neither my ·brothers [colleagues; relatives; or officials] nor I ate the food that was allowed for a governor [C Nehemiah is demonstrating his own selflessness during this time]. 15 But the governors before me [C in contrast] had placed a heavy ·load [burden] on the people. They took ·about one pound [L forty shekels] of silver from each person, along with food and wine. ·The governors’ helpers before me [Their associates/assistants] also ·controlled [oppressed; dominated] the people, but I did not do that, because I feared God [Prov. 1:7]. 16 I ·worked [devoted myself to working] on the wall, as did all my ·men [servants] who were ·gathered [assembled] there. We did not buy any ·fields [land].
17 ·Also [Furthermore], I fed one hundred fifty Jewish people and ·officers [officials] at my table, as well as those who came from the nations around us. 18 This is what was prepared every day: one ox, six ·good [choice] sheep, and birds. And every ten days there were all kinds of wine [in abundance]. But I never demanded the food that was due a governor, because the people were already ·working very hard [carrying a great burden].
19 Remember ·to be kind to me [L for my good], my God, for all I have done for these people.
Nehemiah 5
New King James Version
Nehemiah Deals with Oppression
5 And there was a great (A)outcry of the people and their wives against their (B)Jewish brethren. 2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”
3 There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.”
4 There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards. 5 Yet now (C)our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we (D)are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”
6 And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, (E)“Each of you is [a]exacting usury from his brother.” So I [b]called a great assembly against them. 8 And I said to them, “According to our ability we have (F)redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?”
Then they were silenced and found nothing to say. 9 Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk (G)in the fear of our God (H)because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10 I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this [c]usury! 11 Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.”
12 So they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.”
Then I called the priests, (I)and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. 13 Then (J)I shook out [d]the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.”
And all the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. (K)Then the people did according to this promise.
The Generosity of Nehemiah
14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year (L)until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers (M)ate the governor’s provisions. 15 But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but (N)I did not do so, because of the (O)fear of God. 16 Indeed, I also continued the (P)work on this wall, and [e]we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work.
17 And (Q)at my table were one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us. 18 Now that (R)which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. Yet in spite of this (S)I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people.
19 (T)Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 5:7 charging interest
- Nehemiah 5:7 Lit. held
- Nehemiah 5:10 interest
- Nehemiah 5:13 Lit. my lap
- Nehemiah 5:16 So with MT; LXX, Syr., Vg. I
Nehemiah 5
King James Version
5 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.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
