5 Some men and their wives were upset, because of the things that some other Jews were doing. 2 Many of them said, ‘We are big families, with many sons and daughters. We need to have food to eat so that we can stay alive.’ 3 Other people said, ‘People have to lend us money to buy food. We have to give them our fields, our vineyards and our homes until we can pay them back.’
4 Other people said, ‘We have to pay taxes to the king for our fields and our vineyards. People had to lend us money to pay the taxes. 5 Now we have to sell our sons and daughters as slaves so that we can pay back the money. But we are from the same human family as those other Jews. Our children are not different from their children. Already some of our daughters have become slaves. Our fields and vineyards now belong to other people, so we are helpless to do anything.’
6 When I heard what they were complaining about, I was very angry. 7 I thought carefully about what they had said. Then I said to the Jewish leaders and officers, ‘You are cheating your own people! You are taking back more money than you have lent to them.’
I told the Jews to come together for a big meeting. 8 I said to them all, ‘When our own Jewish people have become slaves of foreign people, we have tried hard to buy them back. But now you are making your own people sell their children to you. And you want us to pay you to buy them back again!’ The Jewish leaders kept quiet. They had nothing to say.
9 Then I said to them, ‘You are doing something that is completely wrong. Instead, you should obey God and live in a good way. Then the foreign people who are our enemies will not have a chance to insult us. 10 I myself have agreed to lend poor people money and food. My family and my friends have done the same thing. But we must not make those poor people pay back more to us. 11 Now you must give back to them their fields, their vineyards, their gardens of olive trees and their houses. Do not make them pay any extra money for the money, food, wine or olive oil that you lent to them.’
12 The leaders replied, ‘We will give everything back to them. We will not make them pay back their debts to us. We will do everything that you have said.’
I told the priests to come to our meeting. While they were with us, I made the Jewish leaders and officers make a strong promise. They agreed to do what they had promised to do. 13 I shook my coat so that everything fell out of its pockets. I said, ‘You must all do what you have promised to do. If not, I pray that God will shake you out like that! He will take away your homes and all your things. You will be left with nothing!’ Everyone at the meeting said, ‘Amen, we agree!’ They praised the Lord .
All the people did what they had promised to do.
14 All the time that I ruled the land of Judah, I did not eat the government officer's special food. I was the ruler from the 20th year of King Artaxerxes until his 32nd year as king. For all those 12 years, I and my relatives refused to eat the special food. 15 The officers who ruled there before I came made much trouble for the people. They took food and wine from the people, as well as 40 silver coins every day. Their servants also gave the people much trouble. But I did not live like them, because I wanted to please God. 16 I worked hard to help the work on the city's walls. I did not take any land for myself. All my servants also had to join with me in the work.
17 150 Jews and their officers ate meals with me. There were also people who came to visit from countries that were near to us. 18 Every day, my servants cooked one ox, six good sheep and some birds for us to eat. Every ten days they bought for me many different kinds of wine. But I did not ask to receive the extra food that the ruler usually receives. The people were working hard on the wall and I did not want to give them more trouble.
19 My God, please remember the many things that I have done to help my people. Please bless me.
5 Many of the poor people began to complain against their fellow Jews. 2 Some of them were saying, “We have many children. We must get some grain if we are going to eat and stay alive.”
3 Other people were saying, “This is a time of famine. We have to use our fields, vineyards, and homes to pay for grain.”
4 And still other people were saying, “We have to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. But we cannot afford to pay, so we are borrowing money to pay the tax. 5 We are as good as the others. Our sons are as good as their sons. But we will have to sell our sons and daughters as slaves. Some of us have already had to sell our daughters as slaves. There is nothing we can do. We have already lost our fields and vineyards. Other people own them now.”
6 When I heard their complaints, I was very angry. 7 I calmed myself down, and then I went to the rich families and the officials. I told them, “You are forcing your own people to pay interest on the money you loan them. You must stop doing that!” Then I called for all the people to meet together 8 and said to them, “Our fellow Jews were sold as slaves to people in other countries. We did our best to buy them back and make them free. And now, you are selling them like slaves again!”
The rich people and officials kept quiet. They could not find anything to say. 9 So I continued speaking. I said, “What you people are doing is not right! You know that you should fear and respect our God. You should not do the shameful things other people do! 10 My men, my brothers, and I are also lending money and grain to the people. But let’s stop forcing them to pay interest on these loans. 11 You must give their fields, vineyards, olive fields, and houses back to them, right now! And you must give back the interest you charged them. You charged them one percent for the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you loaned them.”
12 Then the rich people and the officials said, “We will give it back and not demand anything more from them. Nehemiah, we will do as you say.”
Then I called the priests. I made the rich people and the officials promise to God that they would do what they said. 13 Then I shook out the folds of my clothes. I said, “God will do the same thing to everyone who does not keep their promise. God will shake them out of their houses and they will lose everything they worked for. They will lose everything!”
I finished saying these things and all the people agreed. They all said, “Amen” and praised the Lord . So the people did as they had promised.
14 And also, during the whole time that I was appointed to be governor in the land of Judah, neither my brothers nor I ate the food that was allowed for the governor. I never forced the people to pay taxes to buy my food. I was governor from the 20th year until the 32nd year that Artaxerxes was king. [ a ] I was governor of Judah for twelve years. 15 But the governors who ruled before me made life hard for the people. The governors forced everyone to pay 1 pound [ b ] of silver. They also made the people give them food and wine. The leaders under these governors also ruled over the people and made life even harder. But I respected and feared God, so I didn’t do things like that. 16 I worked hard at building the wall of Jerusalem. All my men gathered there to work on the wall. We didn’t take any land from anyone.
17 Also, I regularly fed 150 Jews who were always welcome at my table, and I fed those who came to us from the nations around us. 18 Every day I prepared this much food for the people who ate at my table: one ox, six good sheep, and different kinds of birds. Every ten days all kinds of wine were brought to my table. But I never demanded that they give me the food that was allowed for the governor. I knew that the work the people were doing was very hard. 19 My God, remember all the good I have done for these people.
5 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
9 Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
10 I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord . And the people did according to this promise.
14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.
18 Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.
5 Now ( A ) there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their ( B ) Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let’s ( C ) get grain so that we may eat and live.” 3 And 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.” 4 There also were those who said, “We have borrowed money ( D ) for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 And now ( E ) our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, ( F ) we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already , and [ a ] we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6 Then I was very ( G ) angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 So I thought it over and contended with the nobles and the leading people, and said to them, “ ( H ) You are lending at interest, each to his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. 8 And I said to them, “We, according to our ability, ( I ) have [ b ] redeemed 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 . 9 So I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of ( J ) the taunting of the nations, our enemies? 10 And likewise I, my brothers, and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let’s [ c ] do without this interest. 11 Please, 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.” 12 Then they said, “We ( K ) will give it back and ( L ) will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and made them ( M ) take an oath to act in accordance with this [ d ] promise. 13 I ( N ) also shook out the [ e ] front of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every person from his house and from his possessions who does not keep this [ f ] promise; just so may he be shaken out and emptied.” And ( O ) all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the Lord . Then the people acted in accordance with this [ g ] promise.
14 Furthermore, since the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from ( P ) the twentieth year to the ( Q ) thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance . 15 But the previous governors who were before me [ h ] laid 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 ( R ) because of my fear of God. 16 I also [ i ] applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, ( S ) there were at my table 150 Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now ( T ) that 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 ( U ) I did not request the governor’s food allowance , because the forced labor was heavy on this people. 19 ( V ) Remember me, my God, for good, in return for all that I have done for this people.
5 Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. 2 Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”
3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, ( A ) our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.” ( B )
4 Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax ( C ) on our fields and vineyards. 5 Although we are of the same flesh and blood ( D ) as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. ( E ) Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.” ( F )
6 When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. 7 I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” ( G ) So I called together a large meeting to deal with them 8 and said: “As far as possible, we have bought ( H ) back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say. ( I )
9 So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach ( J ) of our Gentile enemies? 10 I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! ( K ) 11 Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest ( L ) you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”
12 “We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”
Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath ( M ) to do what they had promised. 13 I also shook ( N ) out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”
At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” ( O ) and praised the Lord . And the people did as they had promised.
14 Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, ( P ) when I was appointed to be their governor ( Q ) in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. 15 But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels [ a ] of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God ( R ) I did not act like that. 16 Instead, ( S ) I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we [ b ] did not acquire any land.
17 Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. 18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry ( T ) were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.
19 Remember ( U ) me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.
