Nehemiah 5

Charging Interest Abolished

1Now 1there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their 2Jewish brothers. 2For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let’s 3get grain so that we may eat and live.” 3And 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.” 4There also were those who said, “We have borrowed money 4for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5And now 5our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, 6we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and 7we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6Then I was very 8angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7So I thought it over and contended with the nobles and the leading people, and said to them, “9You are lending at interest, each to his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. 8And I said to them, “We, according to our ability, 10have 11redeemed 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. 9So I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of 12the taunting of the nations, our enemies? 10And likewise I, my brothers, and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let’s 13do without this interest. 11Please, 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.” 12Then they said, “We 14will give it back and 15will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and made them 16take an oath to act in accordance with this 17promise. 13I 18also shook out the 19front of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every person from his house and from his possessions who does not keep this 20promise; just so may he be shaken out and emptied.” And 21all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the Lord. Then the people acted in accordance with this 22promise.

Nehemiah’s Example

14Furthermore, since the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from 23the twentieth year to the 24thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance. 15But the previous governors who were before me 25laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so 26because of my fear of God. 16I also 27applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17Moreover, 28there were at my table 150 Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18Now 29that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep; also birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all sorts of wine were provided in abundance. Yet for all this 30I did not request the governor’s food allowance, because the forced labor was heavy on this people. 1931Remember me, my God, for good, in return for all that I have done for this people.