Nehemiah 05 The Poor Murmur Against the Rich, and Nehemiah Rebukes the Latter

 Nehemiah 05

The Poor Murmur Against the Rich, and Nehemiah Rebukes the Latter

1 But there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.

2 For there were some who said, “We are many with our sons and daughters; let us take grain, that we may eat and live.”

3 And there were some who said, “We have pledged our fields, our vineyards, and our houses, that we may get grain in this famine.”

4 And there were some who said, “We have borrowed money even for the king’s tribute on our fields and vineyards.”

5 And now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, and our children like their children; and, behold, we have brought our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants; and some of our daughters are also brought into bondage, that they are no longer in our hands; and others have our fields and our vineyards. 6 When I heard their outcry and these words, I was very angry.

7 And I considered in my heart, and then I fought with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, "You take usury every one from his brother." And I gathered a great assembly against them.

8 And I said to them, "We have redeemed our brethren the Jews, who were sold to the nations, according to our ability; and will you sell your brethren again, or will you sell yourselves to us?" Then they held their peace, and found no way to answer.

9 And he said, "What you do is not good: should you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?

10 I also, and my brethren, and my servants, have given them money and grain on interest. Let us leave this gain." 

11 Restore to them today, I pray you, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, and the hundredth part of the money, of the grain, of the wine, and of the oil, which you exacted from them.

12 Then they said, "We will restore them, and we will not demand anything from them; we will do as you say." Then I called the priests and made them swear to do according to this word.

13 I also shook my lap and said, "So may God shake out every man from his house and from his work who does not do this word, and so let him be shaken out and empty." And the congregation said, "Amen!" And they praised the Lord; and the people did according to this word.

14 Also from the day that I was appointed their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor's bread. 

15 But the former governors who were before me oppressed the people and took bread and wine from them, and forty shekels of silver. Their servants also ruled over the people, but I did not do so because of the fear of God. 

16 I also made repairs in the work of this wall, and we did not buy any land; and all my servants were there for the work. 

17 And there were one hundred and fifty men of the Jews and of the rulers, and those who came to us from the nations that were around us, who sat at my table. 

18 And the daily food was one ox and six choice sheep; and they prepared fowls for me, and every ten days very much of all wine. Yet I did not exact the governor's bread, because the bondage of this people was great. 

19 Remember me for good, O my God, and all that I have done to this people.