Nehemiah 5
Living Bible
5 About this time there was a great outcry of protest from parents against some of the rich Jews who were profiteering on them. 2-4 What was happening was that families who ran out of money for food had to sell their children or mortgage their fields, vineyards, and homes to these rich men; and some couldn’t even do that, for they already had borrowed to the limit to pay their taxes.
5 “We are their brothers, and our children are just like theirs,” the people protested. “Yet we must sell our children into slavery to get enough money to live. We have already sold some of our daughters, and we are helpless to redeem them, for our fields, too, are mortgaged to these men.”
6 I was very angry when I heard this; 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? 10 The rest of us are lending money and grain to our fellow Jews without any interest. I beg you, gentlemen, stop this business of usury. 11 Restore their fields, vineyards, olive yards, and homes to them this very day and drop your claims against them.”
12 So they agreed to do it and said that they would assist their brothers without requiring them to mortgage their lands and sell them their children. Then I summoned the priests and made these men formally vow to carry out their promises. 13 And I invoked the curse of God upon any of them who refused.[a]
“May God destroy your homes and livelihood if you fail to keep this promise,” I declared.
And all the people shouted, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the rich men did as they had promised.
14 I would like to mention that for the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth until the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes—my aides and I accepted no salaries or other assistance from the people of Israel. 15 This was quite a contrast to the former governors who had demanded food and wine and $100 a day in cash, and had put the population at the mercy of their aides who tyrannized them; but I obeyed God and did not act that way. 16 I stayed at work on the wall and refused to speculate in land; I also required my officials to spend time on the wall. 17 All this despite the fact that I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides visitors from other countries! 18 The provisions required for each day were one ox, six fat sheep, and a large number of domestic fowls; and we needed a huge supply of all kinds of wines every ten days. Yet I refused to make a special levy against the people, for they were already having a difficult time. 19 O my God, please keep in mind all that I’ve done for these people and bless me for it.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 5:13 I invoked the curse of God upon any of them who refused, literally, “Then I shook out the lap of my gown.”
Nehemiah 5
English Standard Version
Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor
5 Now there arose (A)a great outcry of the people and of their wives (B)against their Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” 3 There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” 4 And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for (C)the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 Now (D)our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet (E)we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”
6 I was very angry when I heard (F)their outcry and these words. 7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, (G)“You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them 8 and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, (H)have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk (I)in the fear of our God (J)to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” 12 Then they said, “We will restore these and (K)require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and (L)made them swear (M)to do as they had promised. 13 (N)I also shook out the fold[a] of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” (O)And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
Nehemiah's Generosity
14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from (P)the twentieth year to (Q)the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, (R)neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration[b] forty shekels[c] of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, (S)because of the fear of God. 16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, there were (T)at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 (U)Now what was prepared at my expense[d] for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this (V)I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. 19 (W)Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 5:13 Hebrew bosom
- Nehemiah 5:15 Compare Vulgate; Hebrew took from them for food and wine after
- Nehemiah 5:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
- Nehemiah 5:18 Or prepared for me
Nehemiah 5
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Social Injustice
5 There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen. 2 Some were saying, ‘We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.’ 3 Others were saying, ‘We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.’(A) 4 Still others were saying, ‘We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax(B) on our fields and vineyards.(C) 5 We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery.(D) Some of our daughters are already enslaved,(E) but we are powerless[a] because our fields and vineyards belong to others.’
6 I became extremely angry(F) when I heard their outcry and these complaints. 7 After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, ‘Each of you is charging his countrymen interest.’(G) So I called a large assembly against them 8 and said, ‘We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back.’(H) They remained silent and could not say a word.(I) 9 Then I said, ‘What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God(J) and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies?(K) 10 Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let’s stop charging this interest.[b] 11 Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage[c] of the money, grain, new wine, and fresh oil(L) that you have been assessing them.’
12 They responded, ‘We will return these things and require nothing more from them.(M) We will do as you say.’
So I summoned the priests and made everyone take an oath(N) to do this. 13 I also shook the folds of my robe and said, ‘May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn’t keep this promise. May he be shaken out(O) and have nothing! ’
The whole assembly said, ‘Amen,’ and they praised the Lord. Then the people did as they had promised.(P)
Good and Bad Governors
14 Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes(Q) appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah – from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, twelve years(R) – I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor. 15 The governors(S) who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them food and wine as well as half a kilogram[d] of silver. Their subordinates also oppressed the people, but because of the fear of God, I didn’t do this.(T) 16 Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of this wall,(U) and all my subordinates were gathered there for the work. We didn’t buy any land.(V)
17 There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table.(W) 18 Each[e] day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every ten days.(X) But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.
19 Remember me favourably, my God, for all that I have done for this people.(Y)
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