Nehemiah 5 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Each Usury Is Forsaken

1 Then there was a great ^H1419 outcry ^H6818 of the people ^H5971 and of their wives ^H802 against ^H413 their Jewish ^H3064 brothers ^H251.

2 Now there ^H3426 were ^H3426 those who ^H834 were saying ^H559, “We, with our sons ^H1121 and our daughters ^H1323, are many ^H7227; therefore let us get ^H3947 grain ^H1715 that we may eat ^H398 and live ^H2421.” 3 There ^H3426 were ^H3426 others who ^H834 were saying ^H559, “We are mortgaging ^H6148 our fields ^H7704, our vineyards ^H3754, and our houses ^H1004, that we might get ^H3947 grain ^H1715 because of the famine ^H7458.” 4 Also there ^H3426 were ^H3426 those who ^H834 were saying ^H559, “We have borrowed ^H3867 money ^H3701 for the king’s ^H4428 tax ^H4060 on our fields ^H7704 and our vineyards ^H3754. 5 But now ^H6258 our flesh ^H1320 is like the flesh ^H1320 of our brothers ^H251, our children ^H1121 like their children ^H1121. Yet behold ^H2009, we are forcing ^H3533 our sons ^H1121 and our daughters ^H1323 to be slaves ^H5650, and some ^H4480 of our daughters ^H1323 are forced ^H3533 into ^H3533 subjugation ^H3533, and we have ^H369 no ^H369 power ^H410 in our hands ^H3027 to help, and our fields ^H7704 and vineyards ^H3754 belong to others ^H312.”

6 Then I was ^H2734 very ^H3966 angry ^H2734 when ^H834 I had heard ^H8085 their outcry ^H2201 and these ^H428 words ^H1697. 7 I consulted ^H4427 within my own heart ^H3820 and contended ^H7378 with the nobles ^H2715 and the officials ^H5461 and said ^H559 to them, “You are exacting ^H5377 usury ^H4855, each ^H376 from his brother ^H251!” Therefore, I held ^H5414 a great ^H1419 assembly ^H6952 against ^H5921 them. 8 I said ^H559 to them, “We, according to our ability ^H1767, have bought ^H7069 back our Jewish ^H3064 brothers ^H251 who were sold ^H4376 to the nations ^H1471; and now would you also ^H1571 sell ^H4376 your brothers ^H251 that they may be sold ^H4376 to us?” Then they were ^H2790 silent ^H2790 and could not find ^H4672 a word ^H1697 to say. 9 And I said ^H559, “The thing ^H1697 which ^H834 you are doing ^H6213 is not good ^H2896; should you not walk ^H1980 in the fear ^H3374 of our God ^H430 because ^H4480 of the reproach ^H2781 of the nations ^H1471, our enemies ^H340? 10 And likewise ^H1571 I, my brothers ^H251, and my young ^H5288 men ^H5288 are lending ^H5383 them money ^H3701 and grain ^H1715. Please ^H4994, let us forsake ^H5800 this ^H2088 usury ^H4855. 11 Please ^H4994, give ^H7725 back ^H7725 to them this very day ^H3117 their fields ^H7704, their vineyards ^H3754, their olive ^H2132 groves ^H2132 and their houses ^H1004, also the hundredth ^H3967 part of the money ^H3701 and of the grain ^H1715, the new ^H8492 wine ^H8492 and the oil ^H3323 that you are exacting ^H5383 from them.” 12 Then they said ^H559, “We will give ^H7725 it back ^H7725 and will require ^H1245 nothing ^H3808 from them; we will do ^H6213 exactly ^H3651 as you are saying ^H559.” So I called ^H7121 the priests ^H3548 and made ^H7650 them swear ^H7650 that they would do ^H6213 according to this ^H2088 word ^H1697. 13 I also ^H1571 shook ^H5287 out ^H5287 the [fn]front ^H2684 of ^H2684 my garment ^H2684 and said ^H559, “Thus ^H3602 may God ^H430 shake ^H5287 out ^H5287 every ^H3605 man ^H376 from his house ^H1004 and from his possessions ^H3018 who ^H834 does not establish ^H6965 this ^H2088 word ^H1697; even thus ^H3602 may he be shaken ^H5287 out ^H5287 and emptied ^H7386.” And all ^H3605 the assembly ^H6951 said ^H559, “Amen ^H543!” And they praised ^H1984 Yahweh ^H3068. Then the people ^H5971 did ^H6213 according to this ^H2088 word ^H1697.

Nehemiah as Governor

14 Moreover ^H1571, from the day ^H3117 that I was put ^H6680 in command ^H6680 to be their governor ^H6346 in the land ^H776 of Judah ^H3063, from the twentieth ^H6242 year ^H8141 to the thirty-second ^H7970 H8147 year ^H8141 of King ^H4428 Artaxerxes ^H783, for twelve ^H8147 H6240 years ^H8141, neither ^H3808 I nor ^H3808 my [fn]relatives ^H251 have eaten ^H398 the governor’s ^H6346 food ^H3899 allowance.

15 But the former ^H7223 governors ^H6346 who ^H834 were before ^H6440 me [fn]laid ^H3513 heavy ^H3513 burdens ^H3513 on the people ^H5971 and took ^H3947 from them bread ^H3899 and wine ^H3196 besides ^H310 forty ^H705 [fn]shekels ^H8255 of silver ^H3701; even ^H1571 their young ^H5288 men ^H5288 exerted ^H7980 their power ^H7980 over the people ^H5971. But I did not do ^H6213 so ^H3651 because ^H4480 H6440 of the fear ^H3374 of God ^H430. 16 I also ^H1571 took ^H2388 hold of the work ^H4399 on this ^H2088 wall ^H2346; we did not buy ^H7069 any land ^H7704, and all ^H3605 my young ^H5288 men ^H5288 were gathered ^H6908 there ^H8033 for the work ^H4399. 17 Moreover, there were at my table ^H7979 150 ^H3967 H2572 Jews ^H3064 and officials ^H5461, besides those who came ^H935 to us from the nations ^H1471 that were around ^H5439 us. 18 Now that which ^H834 was prepared ^H6213 for each day ^H3117 was one ^H259 ox ^H7794 and six ^H8337 choice ^H1305 sheep ^H6629, also birds ^H6833 were prepared ^H6213 for me; and once ^H996 in ten ^H6235 days ^H3117 all ^H3605 sorts of wine ^H3196 were furnished in abundance ^H7235. Yet for all this ^H2088 I did not require ^H1245 the governor’s ^H6346 food ^H3899 allowance, because ^H3588 the slavery ^H5656 was ^H3513 heavy ^H3513 on this ^H2088 people ^H5971. 19 Remember ^H2142 me, O my God ^H430, for good ^H2896, according to all ^H3605 that I have done ^H6213 for this ^H2088 people ^H5971.