The Cry of the Poor
Study note
While the people were busy rebuilding the wall, many families ran out of food and money. Some had to borrow grain just to survive. Others had to mortgage their fields and vineyards to pay the king's tax. The worst part was that some families had been forced to sell their own children as slaves to other Jews. This went against God's law, which taught that Israelites should not charge interest to each other or keep fellow Israelites as permanent slaves.
1 Around this time, the common people and their wives began to complain. They were angry at their fellow Jews. And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
2 Some said, "Our families are big. We need grain just to eat and survive." 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 Others said, "We have had to put up our fields, vineyards, and homes just to get enough grain during this famine." Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
4 Still others said, "We have had to borrow money to pay the king's tax on our property." There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
5 "Our bodies and our children are no different from our fellow Jews. Yet we are being forced to sell our own sons and daughters into slavery. Some of our daughters have already been sold, and there is nothing we can do about it because our fields and vineyards now belong to other people." 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.
Nehemiah Demands Justice
Study note
Nehemiah was furious when he heard about the unfair treatment of the poor. He confronted the nobles and officials who were charging interest on loans to their own people. This practice, called usury, was forbidden by the Law of Moses. Nehemiah pointed out that the people had worked hard to free their fellow Jews from foreign nations, and now their own leaders were selling them back into slavery. The leaders agreed to return the land, vineyards, and money. Nehemiah made them take an oath before the priests.
6 Hearing their complaints made me extremely angry. And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7 After thinking it through carefully, I confronted the nobles and officials head-on. I told them, "You are gouging your own people with interest!" I called a large public meeting to deal with the problem. 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 I told them, "We have been buying back our fellow Jews who were sold to foreigners. Now you are turning around and selling your own people, and we have to buy them back again!" They had no response -- not a word. 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 I continued, "What you are doing is wrong. Should you not live in reverence for our God instead of giving our foreign enemies more reasons to insult us?" 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 "My brothers, my servants, and I have also been lending people money and grain. But from now on, let us all stop charging interest!" 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 "Give back their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses immediately. Also return the interest you have been collecting on the money, grain, wine, and oil." 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 They agreed: "We will return everything and stop making demands." I then called the priests and had the nobles take a binding oath to keep their word. 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 I shook out the fold of my robe as a visual warning and said, "May God shake out anyone who breaks this promise -- shaken right out of their home and livelihood!" Everyone said, "Amen!" and praised the Lord. And they kept their promise. 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.
Nehemiah's Generous Leadership
Study note
Nehemiah served as governor of Judah for twelve years. Unlike the governors before him, Nehemiah never took the food allowance that was his right. Previous governors had been a heavy burden on the people, taking forty shekels of silver plus bread and wine. Nehemiah paid for meals for over one hundred fifty people from his own resources. He ends this section with a prayer asking God to remember his good deeds.
14 From the twentieth to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes — a full twelve years — I served as governor of Judah. During all that time, my brothers and I never took the food that governors had a right to. 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 Previous governors had been a heavy burden, taking food and wine from the people plus forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants pushed people around. But I refused to do any of that, because I respected and feared God. 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 I also stayed focused on the wall project. We did not buy any land for ourselves. All my workers gathered at the wall. 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 On top of that, 150 Jewish leaders ate at my table each day. Guests from other nations came too. 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 Every day I provided one ox, six top-quality sheep, and birds, all prepared for my household. Every ten days, lots of different wines were brought in. Even with all that cost, I never asked for the food that governors had a right to. The people already had enough to carry. 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 Remember me and all the good I have done for these people, O my God. Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.