Nehemiah 5-8

New American Standard Bible 1995

Usury Abolished

5 Now ^(A)there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their ^(B)Jewish brothers. ² For there were those who said, “We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us ^(C)get grain that we may eat and live.” ³ There were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine.” ⁴ Also there were those who said, “We have borrowed money ^(D)for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. ⁵ Now ^(E)our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, ^(F)we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and ^[a]we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

⁶ Then I was very ^(G)angry when I had heard their outcry and these words. ⁷ I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “^(H)You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. ⁸ I said to them, “We according to our ability ^(I)have ^[b]redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?” Then they were silent and could not find a word to say. ⁹ Again I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of ^(J)the reproach of the nations, our enemies? ¹⁰ And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. ¹¹ Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them.” ¹² Then they said, “We ^(K)will give it back and ^(L)will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and ^(M)took an oath from them that they would do according to this ^[c]promise. ¹³ I ^(N)also shook out the ^[d]front of my garment and said, “Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this ^[e]promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And ^(O)all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this ^[f]promise.

Nehemiah’s Example

¹⁴ Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from ^(P)the twentieth year to the ^(Q)thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my ^[g]kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance. ¹⁵ But the former governors who were before me ^[h]laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so ^(R)because of the fear of God. ¹⁶ I also ^[i]applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. ¹⁷ Moreover, ^(S)there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. ¹⁸ Now ^(T)that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep, also birds were prepared for me; and once in ten days all sorts of wine were furnished in abundance. Yet for all this ^(U)I did not demand the governor’s food allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people. ^19 (V)Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

The Enemy’s Plot

6 Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, ^(W)although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, ² then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at ^[j]Chephirim in the plain of ^(X)Ono.” But they were planning to ^[k]harm me. ³ So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” ⁴ They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way. ⁵ Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. ⁶ In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and ^[l]Gashmu says, that ^(Y)you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. ⁷ You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning ^[m]you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.” ⁸ Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are ^(Z)inventing them ^[n]in your own mind.” ⁹ For all of them were trying to frighten us, ^[o]thinking, “^[p]They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, ^(AA)O God, strengthen my hands.

¹⁰ When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, ^(AB)who was ^[q]confined at home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.” ¹¹ But I said, “^(AC)Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple ^[r]to save his life? I will not go in.” ¹² Then I perceived ^[s]that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. ¹³ He was hired for this reason, ^(AD)that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me. ^14 (AE)Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah ^(AF)the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.

The Wall Is Finished

¹⁵ So ^(AG)the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. ^16 (AH)When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they ^[t]lost their confidence; for ^(AI)they recognized that this work had been accomplished ^[u]with the help of our God. ¹⁷ Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. ¹⁸ For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. ¹⁹ Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.

Census of First Returned Exiles

7 Now when ^(AJ)the wall was rebuilt and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed, ² then I put ^(AK)Hanani my brother, and ^(AL)Hananiah the commander of ^(AM)the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem, for he was ^(AN)a faithful man and feared God more than many. ³ Then I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot, and while they are standing guard, let them shut and bolt the doors. Also appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post, and each in front of his own house.” ⁴ Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few and the houses were not built.

^5 (AO)Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first ^[v]in which I found the following record:

^6 (AP)These are the ^[w]people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city, ⁷ who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, ^[x]Azariah, ^[y]Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, ^[z]Mispereth, Bigvai, ^[aa]Nehum, Baanah.

The number of men of the people of Israel: ⁸ the sons of Parosh, 2,172; ⁹ the sons of Shephatiah, 372; ¹⁰ the sons of Arah, 652; ¹¹ the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818; ¹² the sons of Elam, 1,254; ¹³ the sons of Zattu, 845; ¹⁴ the sons of Zaccai, 760; ¹⁵ the sons of ^[ab]Binnui, 648; ¹⁶ the sons of Bebai, 628; ¹⁷ the sons of Azgad, 2,322; ¹⁸ the sons of Adonikam, 667; ¹⁹ the sons of Bigvai, 2,067; ²⁰ the sons of Adin, 655; ²¹ the sons of Ater, of Hezekiah, 98; ²² the sons of Hashum, 328; ²³ the sons of Bezai, 324; ²⁴ the sons of ^[ac]Hariph, 112; ²⁵ the sons of ^[ad]Gibeon, 95; ²⁶ the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188; ²⁷ the men of Anathoth, 128; ²⁸ the men of ^[ae]Beth-azmaveth, 42; ²⁹ the men of ^[af]Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743; ³⁰ the men of Ramah and Geba, 621; ³¹ the men of Michmas, 122; ³² the men of Bethel and Ai, 123; ³³ the men of the other Nebo, 52; ³⁴ the sons of the other Elam, 1,254; ³⁵ the sons of Harim, 320; ³⁶ the ^[ag]men of Jericho, 345; ³⁷ the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 721; ³⁸ the sons of Senaah, 3,930.

³⁹ The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973; ⁴⁰ the sons of Immer, 1,052; ⁴¹ the sons of Pashhur, 1,247; ⁴² the sons of Harim, 1,017.

⁴³ The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the sons of ^[ah]Hodevah, 74. ⁴⁴ The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148. ⁴⁵ The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.

⁴⁶ The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, ⁴⁷ the sons of Keros, the sons of ^[ai]Sia, the sons of Padon, ⁴⁸ the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai, ⁴⁹ the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, ⁵⁰ the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, ⁵¹ the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, ⁵² the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of ^[aj]Nephushesim, ⁵³ the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, ⁵⁴ the sons of ^[ak]Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, ⁵⁵ the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, ⁵⁶ the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.

⁵⁷ The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of ^[al]Sophereth, the sons of ^[am]Perida, ⁵⁸ the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, ⁵⁹ the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of ^[an]Amon.

⁶⁰ All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants were 392.

⁶¹ These were they who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, ^[ao]Addon and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses or their ^[ap]descendants, whether they were of Israel: ⁶² the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. ⁶³ Of the priests: the sons of ^[aq]Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and was named after them. ⁶⁴ These searched among their ancestral registration, but it could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood. ^65 (AQ)The ^[ar]governor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest arose with ^(AR)Urim and Thummim.

Total of People and Gifts

⁶⁶ The whole assembly together was 42,360, ⁶⁷ besides their male and their female servants, ^[as]of whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers. ^68 [at](AS)Their horses were 736; their mules, 245; ⁶⁹ their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720.

⁷⁰ Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The ^[au](AT)governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 basins, 530 priests’ garments. ⁷¹ Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas. ⁷² That which the rest of the people gave was 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,000 silver minas and 67 priests’ garments.

⁷³ Now ^(AU)the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants and all Israel, lived in their cities.

^(AV)And when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.

Ezra Reads the Law

8 And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of ^(AW)the Water Gate, and they ^[av]asked ^(AX)Ezra the scribe to bring ^(AY)the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had ^[aw]given to Israel. ² Then ^(AZ)Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on ^(BA)the first day of the seventh month. ³ He read from it before the square which was in front of ^(BB)the Water Gate from ^[ax]early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. ⁴ Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand. ⁵ Ezra opened ^(BC)the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people ^(BD)stood up. ⁶ Then Ezra blessed the Lord the great God. And all the people answered, “^(BE)Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then ^(BF)they bowed low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. ⁷ Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. ⁸ They read from the book, from the law of God, ^[ay]translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.

“This Day Is Holy”

⁹ Then Nehemiah, who was the ^[az](BG)governor, and Ezra ^(BH)the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “^(BI)This day is holy to the Lord your God; ^(BJ)do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. ¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and ^(BK)send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” ¹¹ So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” ¹² All the people went away to eat, to drink, ^(BL)to send portions and to ^[ba]celebrate a great festival, ^(BM)because they understood the words which had been made known to them.

Feast of Booths Restored

¹³ Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law. ¹⁴ They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel ^(BN)should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month. ^15 [bb](BO)So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and ^(BP)in Jerusalem, saying, “^(BQ)Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and ^[bc]wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.” ¹⁶ So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each ^(BR)on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at ^(BS)the Water Gate and in the square at ^(BT)the Gate of Ephraim. ¹⁷ The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in ^[bd]them. The sons of Israel ^(BU)had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And ^(BV)there was great rejoicing. ^18 (BW)He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they ^(BX)celebrated the feast seven days, and on ^(BY)the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance.