Nehemiah 5 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Charging Interest Abolished

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

2 For there ^H3426 were ^H3426 those who ^H834 said ^H559, “We, our sons ^H1121, and our daughters ^H1323 are many ^H7227; therefore let’s get ^H3947 grain ^H1715 so that we may eat ^H398 and live ^H2421.” 3 And there ^H3426 were ^H3426 others who ^H834 said ^H559, “We are mortgaging ^H6148 our fields ^H7704, our vineyards ^H3754, and our houses ^H1004 so that we might get ^H3947 grain ^H1715 because of the famine ^H7458.” 4 There ^H3426 also were ^H3426 those who ^H834 said ^H559, “We have borrowed ^H3867 money ^H3701 for the king’s ^H4428 tax ^H4060 on our fields ^H7704 and our vineyards ^H3754. 5 And 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 bondage ^H3533 already, and [fn]we are helpless ^{H369 H410 H3027} because our fields ^H7704 and vineyards ^H3754 belong to others ^H312.”

6 Then I was ^H2734 very ^H3966 angry ^H2734 when ^H834 I heard ^H8085 their outcry ^H2201 and these ^H428 words ^H1697. 7 So I thought ^H4427 H3820 it over ^H4427 and contended ^H7378 with the nobles ^H2715 and the leading ^H5461 people ^H5461, and said ^H559 to them, “You are lending ^H5377 at interest ^H4855, each ^H376 to his brother ^H251!” Therefore, I held ^H5414 a great ^H1419 assembly ^H6952 against ^H5921 them. 8 And I said ^H559 to them, “We, according to our ability ^H1767, have [fn]redeemed ^H7069 our Jewish ^H3064 brothers ^H251 who were sold ^H4376 to the nations ^H1471; now would you even ^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 So 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 taunting ^H2781 of the nations ^H1471, our enemies ^H340? 10 And likewise ^H1571 I, my brothers ^H251, and my servants ^H5288 are lending ^H5383 them money ^H3701 and grain ^H1715. Please ^H4994, let’s [fn]do ^H5800 without ^H5800 this ^H2088 interest ^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, as well as 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 charging ^H5383 as ^H5383 interest ^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 say ^H559.” So I called ^H7121 the priests ^H3548 and made them take ^H7650 an ^H7650 oath ^H7650 to act ^H6213 in accordance with this ^H2088 [fn]promise ^H1697. 13 I also ^H1571 shook ^H5287 out ^H5287 the [fn]front ^H2684 of ^H2684 my garment ^H2684 and said ^H559, “So ^H3602 may God ^H430 shake ^H5287 out ^H5287 every ^H3605 person ^H376 from his house ^H1004 and from his possessions ^H3018 who ^H834 does not keep ^H6965 this ^H2088 [fn]promise ^H1697; just so ^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 the LORD ^H3068. Then the people ^H5971 acted ^H6213 in accordance with this ^H2088 [fn]promise ^H1697.

Nehemiah’s Example

14 Furthermore ^H1571, since ^H4480 the day ^H3117 that I was appointed ^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 kinsmen ^H251 have eaten ^H398 the governor’s ^H6346 food ^H3899 allowance.

15 But the previous ^H7223 governors ^H6346 who ^H834 were before ^H6440 me [fn]laid ^H3513 burdens ^H3513 on the people ^H5971 and took ^H3947 from them bread ^H3899 and wine ^H3196 besides ^H310 forty ^H705 shekels ^H8255 of silver ^H3701; even ^H1571 their servants ^H5288 domineered ^H7980 the people ^H5971. But I did not do ^H6213 so ^H3651 because ^H4480 H6440 of my fear ^H3374 of God ^H430. 16 I also ^H1571 [fn]applied ^H2388 myself to the work ^H4399 on this ^H2088 wall ^H2346; we did not buy ^H7069 any land ^H7704, and all ^H3605 my servants ^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 every ^H996 ten ^H6235 days ^H3117 all ^H3605 sorts of wine ^H3196 were provided in abundance ^H7235. Yet for all this ^H2088 I did not request ^H1245 the governor’s ^H6346 food ^H3899 allowance, because ^H3588 the forced ^H5656 labor ^H5656 was ^H3513 heavy ^H3513 on this ^H2088 people ^H5971. 19 Remember ^H2142 me, my God ^H430, for good ^H2896, in return for all ^H3605 that I have done ^H6213 for this ^H2088 people ^H5971.