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Nehemiah 5
New English Translation

Nehemiah Intervenes on behalf of the Oppressed

5 Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.[a] 2 There were those who said, “With our sons and daughters, we are many. We must obtain[b] grain in order to eat and stay alive.” 3 There were others who said, “We are putting up our fields, our vineyards, and our houses as collateral in order to obtain grain during the famine.” 4 Then there were those who said, “We have borrowed money to pay our taxes to the king[c] on our fields and our vineyards. 5 And now, though we share the same flesh and blood as our fellow countrymen[d] and our children are just like their children,[e] still we have found it necessary to subject our sons and daughters to slavery.[f] Some of our daughters have been subjected to slavery, while we are powerless to help,[g] since our fields and vineyards now belong to other people.”[h]

6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints.[i] 7 I considered these things carefully[j] and then registered a complaint with the wealthy[k] and the officials. I said to them, “Each one of you is seizing the collateral[l] from your own countrymen!”[m] Because of them I called for[n] a great public assembly. 8 I said to them, “To the extent possible we have bought back our fellow Jews[o] who had been sold to the Gentiles. But now you yourselves want to sell your own countrymen,[p] so that we can then buy them back!” They were utterly silent, and could find nothing to say.

9 Then I[q] said, “The thing that you are doing is wrong![r] Should you not conduct yourselves[s] in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies? 10 Even I and my relatives[t] and my associates[u] are lending them money and grain. But let us abandon this practice of seizing collateral![v] 11 This very day return to them their fields, their vineyards, their olive trees, and their houses, along with the interest[w] that you are exacting from them on the money, the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil.”

12 They replied, “We will return these things,[x] and we will no longer demand anything from them. We will do just as you say.” Then I called the priests and made the wealthy and the officials[y] swear to do what had been promised.[z] 13 I also shook out my garment,[aa] and I said, “In this way may God shake out from his house and his property every person who does not carry out[ab] this matter. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!” All the assembly replied, “So be it!” and they praised the Lord. Then the people did as they had promised.[ac]

14 From the day that I was appointed[ad] governor[ae] in the land of Judah, that is, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes—twelve years in all—neither I nor my relatives[af] ate the food allotted to the governor.[ag] 15 But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to[ah] forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God. 16 I gave myself to the work on this wall, without even purchasing[ai] a field. All my associates were gathered there for the work.

17 There were 150 Jews and officials who dined with me routinely,[aj] in addition to those who came to us from the nations[ak] all around us. 18 Every day one ox, six select sheep, and some birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Despite all this I did not require the food allotted to the governor, for the work was demanding on this people.

19 Please remember me for good, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 5:1 tn Heb “their brothers the Jews.”
  2. Nehemiah 5:2 tn Heb “take” (so also in v. 3).
  3. Nehemiah 5:4 tn Heb “for the tax of the king.”
  4. Nehemiah 5:5 tn Heb “according to the flesh of our brothers is our flesh.”
  5. Nehemiah 5:5 tn Heb “like their children, our children.”
  6. Nehemiah 5:5 tn Heb “to become slaves” (also later in this verse).
  7. Nehemiah 5:5 tn Heb “there is not power for our hand.” The Hebrew expression used here is rather difficult.
  8. Nehemiah 5:5 sn The poor among the returned exiles were being exploited by their rich countrymen. Moneylenders were loaning large amounts of money, and not only collecting interest on loans which was illegal (Lev 25:36-37; Deut 23:19-20), but also seizing pledges as collateral (Neh 5:3) which was allowed (Deut 24:10). When the debtors missed a payment, the moneylenders would seize their collateral: their fields, vineyards and homes. With no other means of income, the debtors were forced to sell their children into slavery, a common practice at this time (Neh 5:5). Nehemiah himself was one of the moneylenders (Neh 5:10), but he insisted that seizure of collateral from fellow Jewish countrymen was ethically wrong (Neh 5:9).
  9. Nehemiah 5:6 tn Heb “words.”
  10. Nehemiah 5:7 tn Heb “my heart was advised upon me.”
  11. Nehemiah 5:7 tn Heb “nobles.”
  12. Nehemiah 5:7 tn Heb “taking a creditor’s debt.” The Hebrew noun מַשָּׁא (mashaʾ) means “interest; debt” and probably refers to the collateral (pledge) collected by a creditor (HALOT 641-42 s.v.). This particular noun form appears only in Nehemiah (5:7, 10; 10:32); however, it is related to מַשָּׁאָה (mashaʾah, “contractual loan; debt; collateral”) which appears elsewhere (Deut 24:10; Prov 22:26; cf. Neh 5:11). See the note on the word “people” at the end of v. 5. The BHS editors suggest emending the MT to מָשָׂא (masaʾ, “burden”), following several medieval Hebrew mss; however, the result is not entirely clear: “you are bearing a burden, a man with his brothers.”
  13. Nehemiah 5:7 tn Heb “his brothers.”
  14. Nehemiah 5:7 tn Heb “I gave.”
  15. Nehemiah 5:8 tn Heb “our brothers, the Jews.”
  16. Nehemiah 5:8 tn Heb “your brothers.”
  17. Nehemiah 5:9 tc The translation reads with the Qere and the ancient versions וָאוֹמַר (vaʾomar, “and I said”) rather than the MT Kethib, וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyoʾmer, “and he said”).
  18. Nehemiah 5:9 tn Heb “not good.” The statement “The thing…is not good” is an example of tapeinosis, a figurative expression which emphasizes the intended point (“The thing…is wrong!”) by negating its opposite.
  19. Nehemiah 5:9 tn Heb “[should you not] walk.”
  20. Nehemiah 5:10 tn Heb “brothers.”
  21. Nehemiah 5:10 tn Heb “servants.”
  22. Nehemiah 5:10 tn Heb “this debt.” This expression is a metonymy of association: “debt” refers to the seizure of the collateral of the debt.
  23. Nehemiah 5:11 tc The MT reads וּמְאַת (umeʾat, “and the hundredth”) which is somewhat enigmatic. The BHS editors suggest emending to וּמַשַּׁאת (umashaʾt, “and the debt”) which refers to the interest or collateral (pledge) seized by a creditor (Deut 24:10; Prov 22:26; see HALOT 641-42 s.v. מַשָּׁא). The term מַשַּׁאת (mashaʾt) is related to the noun מָשָּׁא (mashaʾ, “debt”) in 5:7, 10.
  24. Nehemiah 5:12 tn The words “these things” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  25. Nehemiah 5:12 tn Heb “took an oath from them”; the referents (the wealthy and the officials, cf. v. 7) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
  26. Nehemiah 5:12 tn Heb “according to this word.”
  27. Nehemiah 5:13 tn Heb “my bosom.”
  28. Nehemiah 5:13 tn Heb “cause to stand.”
  29. Nehemiah 5:13 tn Heb “according to this word.”
  30. Nehemiah 5:14 tc The BHS editors suggest reading צֻוֵּאתִי (tsuvveʾti, “and I was appointed”) rather than the reading of the MT, אֹתִי צִוָּה (tsivvah ʾoti, “he appointed me”).
  31. Nehemiah 5:14 tc The translation reads with one medieval Hebrew ms פֶּחָה (pekhah, “governor”) rather than פֶּחָם (pekham, “their governor”) of the MT. One would expect the form with pronominal suffix to have a tav (ת) before the suffix.
  32. Nehemiah 5:14 tn Heb “brothers.”
  33. Nehemiah 5:14 tn Heb “the food of the governor.” Cf. v. 18.
  34. Nehemiah 5:15 tc The Hebrew term אַחַר (ʾakhar) is difficult here. It normally means “after,” but that makes no sense here. Some scholars emend it to אַחַד (ʾakhad) and supply the word “day,” which yields the sense “daily.” Cf. TEV “40 silver coins a day for food and wine.”
  35. Nehemiah 5:16 tn Heb “we did not purchase.”
  36. Nehemiah 5:17 tn Heb “officials at my table.”
  37. Nehemiah 5:17 tn Or “from the Gentiles.” The same Hebrew word can refer to “the Gentiles” or “the nations.” Cf. the phrase in 6:16.
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Nehemiah 5
1599 Geneva Bible

5 1 The people are oppressed and in necessity. 6 Nehemiah remedieth it. 14 He took not the portion of others that had ruled before, lest he should grieve the people.

1 Now there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives [a]against their brethren the Jews.

2 For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters are many, therefore we take up [b]corn, that we may eat and live.

3 And there were that said, We must gage our lands, and our vineyards, and our houses, and take up corn for the famine.

4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s [c]tribute upon our lands and our vineyards.

5 And now our flesh is as [d]the flesh of our brethren, and our sons as their sons: and lo, we bring into subjection our sons and our daughters, as servants, and there be of our daughters now in subjection, and there is no power [e]in our hands: for other men have our lands and our vineyards.

6 Then was I very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

7 And I thought in my mind, and I rebuked the princes, and the rulers, and said unto them, You lay [f]burdens every one upon his brethren: and I set a great [g]assembly against them,

8 And I said unto them, We (according to our ability) have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen: and will you sell your brethren again, or shall they be [h]sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and could not answer.

9 [i]I said also, That which ye do, is not good. Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, for the [j]reproach of the heathen our enemies?

10 For even I, my brethren, and my servants do lend them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this [k]burden.

11 Restore, I pray you, unto them this day their lands, their vineyards, their olives, and their houses, and remit the hundredth part of the silver and of the corn, of the wine, and of the oil [l]that ye exact of them.

12 Then said they, We will restore it, and will not require it of them: we will do as thou hast said. Then I called the Priests and caused them to swear, that they should do according to this promise.

13 So I shook my lap, and said, So let God shake out every man that will not perform this promise, from his house, and from his labor: even thus let him be shaken out and emptied. And all the Congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord: and the people did according to this promise.

14 And from the time that the King gave me charge to be governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year, even unto the two and thirtieth year of King Artaxerxes, that is, twelve years, I, and my brethren have not eaten the [m]bread of the governor.

15 For the former governors that were before me, had been chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver: yea, and their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

16 But rather I fortified a portion in the work of this wall, and we bought no land, and all my servants came thither together unto the work.

17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews, and rulers, which came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.

18 And there was prepared daily an ox, and six chosen sheep, and birds were prepared for me, and [n]within ten days wine for all [o]in abundance. Yet for all this I required not the bread of the governor: for the bondage was grievous unto this people.

19 Remember me, O my God, in goodness, according to all that I have done for this people.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 5:1 Against the rich which oppressed them.
  2. Nehemiah 5:2 This is the complaint of the people, showing to what extremity they were brought unto.
  3. Nehemiah 5:4 To pay our tribute to the king of the Persians, which was exacted yearly of us.
  4. Nehemiah 5:5 By nature the rich is no better than the poor.
  5. Nehemiah 5:5 We are not able to redeem them, but for poverty are constrained to hire them to others.
  6. Nehemiah 5:7 You press them with usury, and seek how to bring all things into your hands.
  7. Nehemiah 5:7 Both because they should be moved with pity, seeing how many were by them oppressed, and also hear the judgment of others, which should be as it were witnesses of their dealings toward their brethren.
  8. Nehemiah 5:8 Seeing God hath once delivered them from the bondage of the heathen, shall we make them our slaves?
  9. Nehemiah 5:9 Meaning, Nehemiah.
  10. Nehemiah 5:9 Who by this occasion will blaspheme the Name of God, seeing that our acts are no better than theirs.
  11. Nehemiah 5:10 Or, usury.
  12. Nehemiah 5:11 Which ye take of them for the loan.
  13. Nehemiah 5:14 I received not that portion and diet, which the governors that were before me exacted, wherein he declareth that he rather sought the wealth of the people than his own commodity.
  14. Nehemiah 5:18 Or, once in ten days.
  15. Nehemiah 5:18 Whereas at other times they had by measure, at this time they had most liberally.
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Nehemiah 5
New International Version

Nehemiah Helps the Poor

5 Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. 2 Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”

3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields,(A) our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”(B)

4 Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax(C) on our fields and vineyards. 5 Although we are of the same flesh and blood(D) as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery.(E) Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”(F)

6 When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 7 I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!”(G) So I called together a large meeting to deal with them 8 and said: “As far as possible, we have bought(H) 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.(I)

9 So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach(J) of our Gentile enemies? 10 I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest!(K) 11 Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest(L) 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(M) to do what they had promised. 13 I also shook(N) 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,”(O) and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

14 Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,(P) when I was appointed to be their governor(Q) in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. 15 But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels[a] of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God(R) I did not act like that. 16 Instead,(S) I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we[b] did not acquire any land.

17 Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. 18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry(T) were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.

19 Remember(U) me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 5:15 That is, about 1 pound or about 460 grams
  2. Nehemiah 5:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Vulgate and Syriac I
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Nehemia 5
Hoffnung für Alle

Schuldenerlass für die arme Bevölkerung

5 Nach einiger Zeit kamen jüdische Männer und Frauen zu mir und beschwerten sich über Leute aus ihrem eigenen Volk. 2 Die einen klagten: »Wir haben viele Söhne und Töchter und brauchen mehr Getreide, sonst können wir nicht überleben.« 3 Andere sagten: »Wir mussten unsere Felder, Weinberge und Häuser verpfänden, um während der Hungersnot Brot kaufen zu können.« 4 Und wieder andere beklagten sich: »Wir mussten uns Geld leihen, um dem König die Steuern auf unsere Felder und Weinberge bezahlen zu können. 5 Wir gehören doch zum selben Volk wie die anderen Juden! Unsere Kinder sind nicht weniger wert als ihre. Und doch müssen wir ihnen unsere Söhne und Töchter als Sklaven verkaufen; einige unserer Töchter sind schon in ihrer Gewalt. Wir sind machtlos, denn unsere Felder und Weinberge gehören ja ihnen.«

6 Als ich ihre Klagen hörte und von dem Unrecht erfuhr, wurde ich sehr zornig. 7 Ich dachte über alles gründlich nach, dann stellte ich die führenden Männer zur Rede: »Eure eigenen Landsleute beutet ihr skrupellos aus!« Ich berief eine Volksversammlung ein 8 und redete ihnen ins Gewissen: »Menschen aus unserem Volk sind von fremden Völkern zu Sklaven gemacht worden. Wir haben von ihnen so viele wie möglich freigekauft. Und jetzt habt ihr eure eigenen Landsleute zu Sklaven gemacht! Sollen wir sie nun etwa von euch zurückkaufen?« Darauf wussten sie keine Antwort und schwiegen.

9 Ich fuhr fort: »Ihr begeht ein großes Unrecht! Warum gehorcht ihr Gott nicht und tut, was recht ist? Ihr macht uns zum Gespött unserer Feinde! 10 Auch ich, meine Verwandten und meine Mitarbeiter haben anderen Geld und Getreide geliehen. Doch wir wollen nichts mehr zurückfordern. 11 Gebt auch ihr euren Schuldnern noch heute die gepfändeten Felder und Weinberge, die Ölberge und Häuser zurück. Erlasst ihnen alles, was ihr ihnen an Geld und Getreide, an Wein und Öl geliehen habt!« 12 Sie antworteten: »Gut, wir wollen tun, was du sagst. Wir geben alles zurück und fordern nichts mehr.«

Da rief ich die Priester zu mir und ließ die Gläubiger vor ihnen schwören, ihr Versprechen zu halten. 13 Dann schüttelte ich alles aus, was ich in meinem Gewand trug, und sagte: »Genau so soll Gott jeden, der seinen Eid bricht, aus seiner Sippe und aus seinem Besitz hinauswerfen!«

Alle Versammelten riefen: »Ja, so soll es geschehen!« Sie lobten den Herrn und erfüllten ihr Versprechen.

Nehemia geht mit gutem Beispiel voran

14 Zwölf Jahre war ich Statthalter der Provinz Juda, vom 20. bis zum 32. Regierungsjahr des Königs Artaxerxes; in dieser Zeit verzichteten meine Verwandten und ich auf die zusätzlichen Abgaben, die uns zustanden. 15 Meine Vorgänger hatten sich am Volk bereichert. Sie hatten nicht nur Brot und Wein von ihm verlangt, sondern zusätzlich noch 40 Silberstücke pro Tag[a]. Auch ihre Mitarbeiter beuteten das Volk aus. Doch ich handelte nicht so, denn ich hatte Ehrfurcht vor Gott. 16 Ich setzte meine ganze Kraft daran, beim Bau der Stadtmauer von Jerusalem mitzuhelfen, und auch alle Männer, die für mich arbeiteten, waren beteiligt. Keiner von uns kaufte für sich selbst Land. 17 An meinem Tisch waren regelmäßig hundertfünfzig führende Juden zu Gast, dazu alle, die aus den umliegenden Völkern zu uns gestoßen waren. 18 Jeden Tag ließ ich ein Rind, sechs der besten Schafe und viel Geflügel schlachten und zubereiten. Alle zehn Tage wurden die verschiedensten Weine in großen Mengen bereitgestellt. Für die Kosten kam ich selbst auf. Trotzdem verzichtete ich auf die zusätzlichen Abgaben, die mir als Statthalter zustanden, denn das Volk musste für den Bau der Stadtmauer schon genug aufbringen.

19 Mein Gott, vergiss nicht, wie viel Gutes ich für dieses Volk getan habe!

Footnotes

  1. 5,15 So nach der lateinischen Übersetzung. Im hebräischen Text ist kein Zeitraum angegeben.
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