(A)Rescue the weak and the needy;
    (B)deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

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Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

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11 (A)Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
    hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12 If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
    (B)does not he who (C)weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who (D)keeps watch over your soul know it,
    and will he not repay man (E)according to his work?

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11 Rescue those being led away to death;
    hold back those staggering toward slaughter.(A)
12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
    does not he who weighs(B) the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
    Will he not repay(C) everyone according to what they have done?(D)

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15 But he (A)saves the needy from the sword of their mouth
    and from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor have hope,
    and (B)injustice shuts her mouth.

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15 He saves the needy(A) from the sword in their mouth;
    he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.(B)
16 So the poor(C) have hope,
    and injustice shuts its mouth.(D)

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12 I know that the Lord will (A)maintain the cause of the afflicted,
    and (B)will execute justice for the needy.

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12 I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor(A)
    and upholds the cause(B) of the needy.(C)

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12 because I (A)delivered the poor who cried for help,
    and the fatherless who had none to help him.

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12 because I rescued the poor(A) who cried for help,
    and the fatherless(B) who had none to assist them.(C)

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12 For he delivers (A)the needy when he calls,
    the poor and him who has no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy,
    and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
    and (B)precious is their blood in his sight.

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12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
    the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity(A) on the weak and the needy
    and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue(B) them from oppression and violence,
    for precious(C) is their blood in his sight.

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16 I was a father to the needy,
    and I searched out (A)the cause of him whom I did not know.
17 I (B)broke (C)the fangs of the unrighteous
    and made him drop his prey from his teeth.

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16 I was a father to the needy;(A)
    I took up the case(B) of the stranger.(C)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
    and snatched the victims(D) from their teeth.(E)

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Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor

Now there arose (A)a great outcry of the people and of their wives (B)against their Jewish brothers. 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.” There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for (C)the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. 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.”

I was very angry when I heard (F)their outcry and these words. 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 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. 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.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 5:13 Hebrew bosom

Nehemiah Helps the Poor

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

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

Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax(C) on our fields and vineyards. 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)

When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 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 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)

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.

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