Nehemiah 5:6-13

6Then I was very 1angry when I had heard their outcry and these words. 7I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “2You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. 8I said to them, “We according to our ability 3have 4redeemed 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. 9Again I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of 5the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. 11Please, 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.” 12Then they said, “We 6will give it back and 7will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and 8took an oath from them that they would do according to this 9promise. 13I 10also shook out the 11front of my garment and said, “Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this 12promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And 13all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this 14promise.