Nehemiah 5
1 A great outcry arose from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
2 Some were saying, “We have many sons and daughters. There are many of us. Let us get grain to eat and stay alive.”
3 Others were saying, “We are pledging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain during the famine.”
4 Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
5 Our flesh is like the flesh of our fellow Jews, and our children are like their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and daughters into slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, and we are powerless, because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6 I was greatly angered when I heard their outcry and these words.
7 I considered it carefully, then confronted the nobles and officials. I said to them, “You are charging interest, each of you to your fellow Jew!” I called a great assembly against them.
8 I said to them, “As far as we could, we bought back our fellow Jews who had been sold to the nations. And now you are selling your fellow Jews, so they can be sold back to us?” They fell silent and could find no answer.
9 I also said, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?
10 I, my brothers, and my servants are also lending them money and grain. Let us stop charging this interest.”
11 “Give them back today their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, and also the hundredth part of the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you are lending them.”
12 They answered, “We will give it back and demand nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” Then I summoned the priests and made them swear to act according to this promise.
13 I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “May God shake out of his house and his livelihood every person who fails to keep this promise; may he be shaken out and left empty.” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the LORD. The people did as they had promised.
14 Moreover, from the day I was appointed governor in the land of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years—I and my brothers did not eat the governor’s food allowance.
15 The former governors before me had burdened the people and taken from them bread and wine, as well as forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not act that way, because I feared God.
16 I also devoted myself to the work on this wall. We bought no land, and all my servants gathered there for the work.
17 At my table were the Jews and officials—150 men—as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations.
18 What was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; birds were also prepared for me, and every ten days, all kinds of wine in abundance. Even so, I did not demand the governor’s food allowance, because the work weighed heavily on this people.
19 Remember me, my God, for good, for all that I have done for this people.
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