Nehemiah 5:1-13
New American Standard Bible
Charging Interest 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’s (C)get grain so that we may eat and live.” 3 And there were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses so that we might get grain because of the famine.” 4 There also were those who said, “We have borrowed money (D)for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 And 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 heard their outcry and these words. 7 So I thought it over and contended with the nobles and the leading people, and said to them, “(H)You are lending at interest, each to his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. 8 And 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 So 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 taunting of the nations, our enemies? 10 And likewise I, my brothers, and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let’s [c]do without this interest. 11 Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, as well as the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil that you are charging as interest 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 made them (M)take an oath to act in accordance with this [d]promise. 13 I (N)also shook out the [e]front of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every person from his house and from his possessions who does not keep this [f]promise; just so may he be shaken out and emptied.” And (O)all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the Lord. Then the people acted in accordance with this [g]promise.
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- Nehemiah 5:5 Lit there is no power in our hands
- Nehemiah 5:8 Lit purchased
- Nehemiah 5:10 Lit abandon
- Nehemiah 5:12 Lit word
- Nehemiah 5:13 Lit fold
- Nehemiah 5:13 Lit word
- Nehemiah 5:13 Lit word
Nehemiah 5:1-13
Common English Bible
Internal unrest
5 Then there was a great protest of the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. 2 Some said, “With our sons and daughters we are many, and we all need grain to eat and stay alive.”
3 Others said, “We have to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our houses in order to get grain during the famine.”
4 Still others said, “We have had to borrow money against our fields and vineyards in order to pay the king’s tax.”
5 “We are of the same flesh and blood as our kin, and our children are the same as theirs. Yet we are just about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already slaves! There is nothing we can do since our fields and vineyards now belong to others.”
6 I was very angry when I heard their protest and these complaints. 7 After thinking it over, I brought charges against the officials and the officers. I told them, “You are all taking interest from your own people!” I also called for a large assembly in order to deal with them. 8 “To the best of our ability,” I said to them, “we have bought back our Jewish kin who had been sold to other nations. But now you are selling your own kin, who must then be bought back by us!” At this they were silent, unable to offer a response.
9 So I continued, “What you are doing isn’t good! Why don’t you walk in the fear of our God? This will prevent the taunts of the nations that are our enemies! 10 I myself, along with my family and my servants, am lending them money and grain. But let’s stop charging this interest! 11 Give it back to them, right now. Return their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses. And give back the interest on money, grain, wine, and oil that you are charging them.”
12 They replied, “We’ll return everything, and we won’t charge anything else.[a] We’ll do what you’ve asked.”
So I called the priests and made them swear to do what they had promised. 13 I also shook out the fold of my robe, saying, “So may God shake out everyone from their house and property if they don’t keep this promise. So may they be shaken out and emptied!”
The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
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- Nehemiah 5:12 Heb lacks everything…anything else.
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