Nehemiah 5
5
Considering the Poor
1Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives to their fellow Jews.
2There were those who said, “We and our sons and our daughters are numerous. We must take grain, so we may eat and live.”
3There were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses in order to obtain grain during the famine.”
4Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
5And now, though we share the same flesh as our brothers, and our children are just like their children, still we subject our sons and our daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved but our hands are tied since our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.
7I pondered them in my heart and then I opposed the nobles and the officials, saying to them, “Usury! Each of you is putting his brother in debt!” So I convened a great assembly to deal with them.
8I said to them, “As much as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who had been sold to the nations. Now you also are selling your brothers so that they will be sold back to us?” Then they became silent and could not find anything to say.
9Then I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good! Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God, in order to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?
10Even I, my brothers, and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let this usury stop, now!
11Now, return to them this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, as well as the hundredth that you have extracted from them on the money, the grain, the new wine, and the fresh oil.”
12Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do just as you say.” Then I summoned the kohanim and I made them swear to do according to this promise.
13Also I shook out my garment, and said, “In this way may God shake out from His house and from His property every one that does not keep this promise. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!” And all the assembly replied, “Amen!” and they praised Adonai. So the people did according to this promise.
Nehemiah’s Unselfishness
14Moreover, from the day when I was appointed to be the governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes—twelve years—neither I, nor my relatives have eaten the bread allocated to the governor.
15The earlier governors, those preceding me, placed heavy burdens on the people, and took bread and wine from them, in addition to forty shekels of silver. Their attendants also lorded over the people. But I did not do so, out of fear of God.
16Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall, without even buying a field. All my attendants were gathered there for the work.
17Furthermore, 150 Judeans and officials, as well as those that came to us from the nations around us, were at my table.
18Now, each day one ox and six choice sheep, as well as some fowl, were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundance of every kind of wine was prepared. Despite all this, I did not require the governor’s food allowance, because the work was already heavy on this people.
19Remember me for good, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.
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Nehemiah 5: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Nehemiah 5
5
Nehemiah 5
1¶ Then there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren, the Jews.
2For there were some that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many; therefore we have bought grain that we may eat and live.
3There were also some that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.
4And there were some that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
5Yet now, given that the flesh of our brethren is as our flesh and their sons as our sons, behold, we subject our sons and our daughters to slavery, and there are some of our daughters in 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.
7Then I meditated unto myself, and I rebuked the principals and the rulers and said unto them, Does each one of you exact usury of his brother? And I set a great assembly against them.
8And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren, the Jews who had been sold unto the Gentiles; and will ye even sell your brethren? And shall they be sold unto us? Then they remained silent, for they had nothing to answer.
9Also I said, What you do is not good, do you not walk in the fear of our God, that ye not be the reproach of our enemies the Gentiles?
10I, likewise, and my brethren and my servants, have lent them money and grain; let us now release them from this burden.
11Restore, I pray you, to them, today, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, and even the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
12Then they said, We will return it and will require nothing of them; so we will do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests and caused them to sware that they should do according to this promise.
13Also I shook my lap and said, Thus will God shake out each man from his house and from his labour, that does not perform this promise, even thus shall he be 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 day that I was appointed by the king to be their captain in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the captain.
15But the former captains that had been before me had charged the people and had taken of them for bread and wine, upon forty shekels of silver; and in addition to this their servants bore rule over the people; but I did not do so because of the fear of God.
16In addition to this, I restored my part in the work of this wall, neither did we buy any inheritance; and all my servants were gathered together unto the work.
17I also had at my table one hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides those that came unto us from among the Gentiles that are around us.
18Now that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and every ten days wine in all abundance; yet with all this I did not require the bread of the captain because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
19Remember me, my God, for good and all that I have done for this people.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International