Nehemiah 5

Usury Abolished

1Now 1there was a greatH1419 outcryH6818 of the peopleH5971 and of their wivesH802 againstH413 their 2JewishH3064 brothersH251. 2For thereH3426 were those whoH834 saidH559, “We, our sonsH1121 and our daughtersH1323 are manyH7227; therefore let us 3getH3947 grainH1715 that we may eatH398 and liveH2421.” 3ThereH3426 were others whoH834 saidH559, “We are mortgagingH6148 our fieldsH7704, our vineyardsH3754 and our housesH1004 that we might getH3947 grainH1715 because of the famineH7458.” 4Also thereH3426 were those whoH834 saidH559, “We have borrowedH3867 moneyH3701 4for the king’sH4428 taxH4060 on our fieldsH7704 and our vineyardsH3754. 5NowH6258 5our fleshH1320 is like the fleshH1320 of our brothersH251, our childrenH1121 like their childrenH1121. Yet beholdH2009, 6we are forcingH3533 our sonsH1121 and our daughtersH1323 to be slavesH5650, and someH4480 of our daughtersH1323 are forcedH3533 into bondageH3533 already, and 7we are helplessH369H410H3027 because our fieldsH7704 and vineyardsH3754 belong to othersH312.”

6Then I was veryH3966 8angryH2734 whenH3512 I had heardH8085 their outcryH2201 and theseH428 wordsH1697. 7I consultedH4427 with myself and contendedH7378 with the noblesH2715 and the rulersH5461 and saidH559 to them, “9You are exactingH5377 usuryH4855, eachH376 from his brotherH251!” Therefore, I heldH5414 a greatH1419 assemblyH6952 againstH5921 them. 8I saidH559 to them, “We according to our abilityH1767 10have 11redeemedH7069 our JewishH3064 brothersH251 who were soldH4376 to the nationsH1471; now would you evenH1571 sellH4376 your brothersH251 that they may be soldH4376 to us?” Then they were silentH2790 and could not findH4672 a wordH1697 to say. 9Again I saidH559, “The thingH1697 whichH834 you are doingH6213 is not goodH2896; should you not walkH1980 in the fearH3374 of our GodH430 becauseH4480 of 12the reproachH2781 of the nationsH1471, our enemiesH340? 10And likewiseH1571 I, my brothersH251 and my servantsH5288 are lendingH5383 them moneyH3701 and grainH1715. PleaseH4994, let us leaveH5800 off thisH2088 usuryH4855. 11PleaseH4994, giveH7725 backH7725 to them this very dayH3117 their fieldsH7704, their vineyardsH3754, their oliveH2132 grovesH2132 and their housesH1004, also the hundredthH3967 part of the moneyH3701 and of the grainH1715, the newH8492 wineH8492 and the oilH3323 that you are exactingH5383 from them.” 12Then they saidH559, “We 13will giveH7725 it backH7725 and 14will requireH1245 nothingH3808 from them; we will doH6213 exactlyH3651 as you sayH559.” So I calledH7121 the priestsH3548 and 15tookH7650 an oathH7650 from them that they would doH6213 according to thisH2088 16promiseH1697. 13I 17alsoH1571 shookH5287 out the 18frontH2684 of my garmentH2684 and saidH559, “ThusH3602 may GodH430 shakeH5287 out everyH3605 manH376 from his houseH1004 and from his possessionsH3018 whoH834 does not fulfillH6965 thisH2088 19promiseH1697; even thusH3602 may he be shakenH5287 out and emptiedH7386.” And 20allH3605 the assemblyH6951 saidH559, “AmenH543!” And they praisedH1984 the LordH3068. Then the peopleH5971 didH6213 according to thisH2088 21promiseH1697.

Nehemiah’s Example

14MoreoverH1571, from the dayH3117 that I was appointedH6680 to be their governorH6346 in the landH776 of JudahH3063, from 22the twentiethH6242 yearH8141 to the 23thirty-secondH7970H8147 yearH8141 of KingH4428 ArtaxerxesH783, for twelveH8147H6240 yearsH8141, neitherH3808 I norH3808 my 24kinsmenH251 have eatenH398 the governor’sH6346 foodH3899 allowance. 15But the formerH7223 governorsH6346 whoH834 were beforeH6440 me 25laidH3513 burdensH3513 on the peopleH5971 and tookH3947 from them breadH3899 and wineH3196 besidesH310 fortyH705 shekelsH8255 of silverH3701; evenH1571 their servantsH5288 domineeredH7980 the peopleH5971. But I did not doH6213 soH3651 26becauseH4480H6440 of the fearH3374 of GodH430. 16I alsoH1571 27appliedH2388 myself to the workH4399 on thisH2088 wallH2346; we did not buyH7069 any landH7704, and allH3605 my servantsH5288 were gatheredH6908 thereH8033 for the workH4399. 17Moreover, 28there were at my tableH7979 one hundredH3967 and fiftyH2572 JewsH3064 and officialsH5461, besides those who cameH935 to us from the nationsH1471 that were aroundH5439 us. 18Now 29that whichH834 was preparedH6213 for each dayH3117 was oneH259 oxH7794 and sixH8337 choiceH1305 sheepH6629, also birdsH6833 were preparedH6213 for me; and onceH996 in tenH6235 daysH3117 allH3605 sorts of wineH3196 were furnished in abundanceH7235. Yet for all thisH2088 30I did not demandH1245 the governor’sH6346 foodH3899 allowance, becauseH3588 the servitudeH5656 was heavyH3513 on thisH2088 peopleH5971. 1931RememberH2142 me, O my GodH430, for goodH2899, according to allH3605 that I have doneH6213 for thisH2088 peopleH5971.