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.
Nehemja 5
nuBibeln (Swedish Contemporary Bible)
Nehemja på de fattigas sida
5 Folket, även kvinnorna, klagade bittert över sina judiska landsmän. 2 Några sa: ”Vi och våra söner och döttrar är många och behöver få brödsäd för att kunna överleva.” 3 Andra sa: ”Vi måste pantsätta våra marker, vingårdar och hus för att få brödsäd och hålla hungern borta.” 4 Ytterligare andra sa: ”Vi måste låna pengar med åkrar och vingårdar som säkerhet för att kunna betala skatten åt kungen.
5 ”Vi är av samma kött och blod som våra landsmän, och våra barn är lika goda som deras. Ändå måste vi låta våra söner och döttrar bli slavar. Några av våra döttrar har redan blivit slavar, och vi står maktlösa, för det är andra som äger våra åkrar och vingårdar.”
6 Jag blev mycket upprörd när jag fick höra deras förtvivlan och klagan, 7 och sedan jag tänkt på saken gick jag till rätta med de förnäma männen och styresmännen.
”Vad är det ni fordrar av era bröder?” frågade jag. Sedan sammankallade jag till ett stormöte mot dem.
8 Jag sa till dem: ”Vi har gjort allt vi kan för att friköpa våra judiska bröder som hade sålts till utlänningar. Och nu säljer ni dem på nytt! Ska vi behöva köpa dem fria igen?” Men de teg, för de kunde inte finna något att säga.
9 Då fortsatte jag: ”Det ni gör är inte rätt. Ni borde leva i fruktan för vår Gud och inte ge de främmande folken, våra fiender, anledning att håna oss. 10 Också jag, mina bröder och mina män lånar dem pengar och brödsäd. Men låt oss nu avstå från vår fordran. 11 Lämna genast tillbaka deras åkrar, vingårdar, olivplanteringar och hus, och avskriv alla fordringar ni har på dem, till varje minsta del av pengar, säd, vin eller olja.”
12 De svarade: ”Vi ska ge tillbaka allt och inte kräva något mer av dem. Vi ska göra som du har sagt. Sedan sammankallade jag prästerna och lät dessa avlägga en ed inför dem att de skulle hålla sina löften. 13 Jag skakade ur mantelvecket och sa: ”Gud kommer att på samma sätt skaka bort från sitt hem och från sina ägor var och en av er som inte håller vad han lovat. En sådan man blir utskakad och utblottad.”
”Amen”, ropade hela församlingen och prisade Herren. Folket höll sitt löfte.
14 Från den dag jag blev ståthållare i Juda, från Artaxerxes tjugonde regeringsår till hans trettioandra år, i tolv år, avstod jag och mina män från det underhåll som en ståthållare normalt skulle ha. 15 Ståthållarna före mig hade lagt tunga bördor på folket och krävt att få ett halvt kilo silver[a] om dagen till mat och dryck. Dessutom hade deras tjänare tyranniserat folket. Men så gjorde inte jag, eftersom jag fruktade Gud.
16 Jag ägnade mig åt arbetet på muren, och mina tjänstemän var där för att arbeta. Vi[b] skaffade oss ingen egen mark.
17 Vid mitt bord åt 150 judar och styresmän, förutom alla besökare från länder runt omkring. 18 Varje dag tillagades det för min räkning en oxe, sex utsökta får och även fåglar samt var tionde dag mängder av vin. Ändå krävde jag inte det underhåll som ståthållaren har rätt till, eftersom detta folk redan var så hårt tyngt.
19 ”Min Gud, kom ihåg allt jag gjort för detta folk, och räkna mig det till godo.”
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
Swedish Contemporary Bible (nuBibeln) Copyright © 2015 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
