The Bible Says
Nehemiah 5:6-13 Meaning

Nehemiah describes his immediate reaction to the people's complaint, saying, Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words (v. 6). He displeased at the news that his fellow Jews are financially oppressing one another. As the governor of the region around Jerusalem (in ancient Judea, around 445 BC during the Persian Empire’s reign under King Artaxerxes I), Nehemiah responds with righteous indignation because these actions threaten the unity and moral foundation of God’s people, who had returned from exile to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls and community.

Following his anger, Nehemiah states, I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, You are exacting usury, each from his brother! Therefore, I held a great assembly against them (v. 7). This verse shows Nehemiah reflecting before acting, he gathers his thoughts, then confronts the Jewish leaders boldly. By calling a public meeting, he ensures transparency and accountability, confronting their disobedience to God’s commands, since charging excessive interest to fellow Israelites was directly opposed to God's Law (Deuteronomy 23:19-20). His approach demonstrates wise leadership, balancing personal indignation with communal correction.

He continues by reminding the assembly of their responsibilities toward each other: I said to them, We according to our ability have 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 (v. 8). Here, Nehemiah highlights the tragic irony of rescuing Jews from Gentile servitude only to see them enslaved again by their own people. This shocking reproach leaves the nobles speechless. It underscores how the community’s harmony is meant to reflect God’s nature, oppression among brethren diminishes that testimony.

Nehemiah presses further, saying, Again I said, The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? (v. 9). He calls them to consider how their conduct dishonors God before the watching world. Their disregard for God’s law invites criticism from hostile neighbors, undermining Israelite witness to surrounding nations. Nehemiah’s question challenges them to realign, remembering that reverence for the Lord is a foundational principle guiding every social and economic practice.

He then offers a solution, admitting his own participation in lending but pleading for mercy and reform: And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury (v. 10). By acknowledging his own role, Nehemiah demonstrates humility and transparency in leadership. He urges them to abandon exploitative interest practices, insisting upon compassionate care for one another rather than monetary gain at each other’s expense.

Continuing the appeal, he says, Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them (v. 11). Nehemiah calls for immediate restitution. The hundredth part could point to a measure of interest or revenue wrongfully obtained. Restoring fields, produce, and property is not merely a legal point, it represents the spiritual corrective that grants hope and justice to vulnerable families. Nehemiah’s swift and heartfelt demand aligns with God’s longstanding commands about compassion and fair economic practices (see Leviticus 25).

The nobles respond obediently: Then they said, We will give it back and will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say. So I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise (v. 12). Repentance here is concrete, demonstrated through public commitment. Calling the priests solidifies the oath before God, emphasizing the sacredness of this pledge. Nehemiah’s leadership not only convicts hearts but channels their renewed commitment into practical, measurable outcomes, ensuring no hidden or unkept promises remain.

Finally, Nehemiah enacts a symbolic gesture: I also shook out the front of my garment and said, Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise; thus may he be shaken out and emptied. And all the assembly said, Amen! And they praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise (v. 13). By shaking his garment, Nehemiah illustrates the severity of God’s judgment on those who break their vow. The community’s wholehearted response of “Amen!” affirms their agreement, and their praise to the LORD reveals a renewed spirit of unity and reverence. This moment marks a restoration of justice within the covenant community.