Tyndale Open Study NotesNehemiah 5

Severe financial problems almost stopped the wall's completion (Nehemiah 5:1–5), but Nehemiah found a solution (5:6–13).

Some farmers stopped growing crops to help build the wall. This left their large families needing food. Someone had to feed their families, or the farmers would stop working on the wall and return to their fields.

Some small landowners had mortgaged everything to survive. The famine worsened the problem because grain was scarce and food prices naturally rose.

pay the king’s tax: Despite the famine, the Persians did not cancel the heavy royal taxes due at harvest time.

we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery: See Exodus 21:1–11. These families were desperate.

Nehemiah was very angry, but he controlled himself. He thought it over and then spoke to resolve the conflict instead of worsening it (see James 1:19–20).

• walk in the fear of our God: See Leviticus 25:35–43.

• avoid the reproach: See also Nehemiah 1:3; 2:19; 4:1–3.

I...have been lending: Nehemiah and his associates made loans without burdening people. Nehemiah’s example was to give financial help without causing more debt by charging interest (see Deuteronomy 15:7–11).

Nehemiah demanded that the wealthy lenders return the fields and repay the interest (literally the hundredth part), which they should not have collected (see also Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35–37). The term hundredth part suggests the interest was one percent per month. This was lower than the 20 percent annual rate found in some documents of that time, or the 60 percent annual rate charged at Elephantine in Egypt. However, even a low interest rate violated God's covenant.

required of the nobles and officials an oath: Both God and the community would hold them accountable.

This section explains Nehemiah's steady approach to servant leadership and his personal generosity.

• This is the first time Nehemiah is mentioned as governor. The king did not mention this role when he first sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem.

• Persia's government officials usually received an official food allowance from the local population. However, Nehemiah and his associates bought food with their regular pay instead.

The former governors were likely Nehemiah’s immediate predecessors, not Sheshbazzar (Ezra 1:8, around 90 years earlier) or Zerubbabel (Haggai 1:1, around 80 years earlier).

Nehemiah prayed for God to remember and bless him, showing his reliance on God.