NASB — Nehemiah 5 — KJV

Usury Abolished

1 Now athere was a great° outcry° of the people° and of their wives° against° their bJewish° brothers°. 2 For there° were those who° said°, “We, our sons° and our daughters° are many°; therefore let us aget° grain° that we may eat° and live°.” 3 There° were others who° said°, “We are mortgaging° our fields°, our vineyards° and our houses° that we might get° grain° because of the famine°.” 4 Also there° were those who° said°, “We have borrowed° money° afor the king’s° tax° [on] our fields° and our vineyards°. 5 Now° aour flesh° is like the flesh° of our brothers°, our children° like their children°. Yet behold°, bwe are forcing° our sons° and our daughters° to be slaves°, and some° of our daughters° are forced° into bondage° [already], and Iwe are helpless°°° because our fields° and vineyards° belong to others°.”

[1] aLv 25:35 bDt 15:7
[2] aHg 1:6
[4] aEzr 4:13; 7:24
[5] ILit there is not the power in our hands aGn 37:27 bLv 25:39

6 ¶ Then I was very° aangry° when° I had heard° their outcry° and these° words°. 7 I consulted° with myself and contended° with the nobles° and the rulers° and said° to them, “aYou are exacting° usury°, each° from his brother°!” Therefore, I held° a great° assembly° against° them. 8 I said° to them, “We according to our ability° ahave Iredeemed° 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]. 9 Again I said°, “The thing° which° you are doing° is not good°; should you not walk° in the fear° of our God° because° of athe reproach° of the nations°, our enemies°? 10 And likewise° I, my brothers° and my servants° are lending° them money° and grain°. Please°, let us leave° off this° usury°. 11 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.” 12 Then they said°, “We awill give° [it] back° and bwill require° nothing° from them; we will do° exactly° as you say°.” So I called° the priests° and ctook° an oath° from them that they would do° according to this° Ipromise°. 13 I aalso° shook° out the Ifront° of my garment° and said°, “Thus° may God° shake° out every° man° from his house° and from his possessions° who° does not fulfill° this° IIpromise°; even thus° may he be shaken° out and emptied°.” And ball° the assembly° said°, “Amen°!” And they praised° the LORD°. Then the people° did° according to this° IIpromise°.

[6] aEx 11:8
[7] aEx 22:25; Lv 25:36; Dt 23:19, 20
[8] ILit bought aLv 25:48
[9] aNe 4:4
[12] ILit word a2Ch 28:15 bNe 10:31 cEzr 10:5
[13] ILit bosom IILit word aAc 18:6 bNe 8:6

Nehemiah’s Example

14 ¶ Moreover°, from the day° that I was appointed° to be their governor° in the land° of Judah°, from athe twentieth° year° to the bthirty-second°° year° of King° Artaxerxes°, [for] twelve°° years°, neither° I nor° my Ikinsmen° have eaten° the governor’s° food° [allowance]. 15 But the former° governors° who° were before° me Ilaid° burdens° on the people° and took° from them bread° and wine° besides° forty° shekels° of silver°; even° their servants° domineered° the people°. But I did not do° so° abecause°° of the fear° of God°. 16 I also° Iapplied° myself to the work° on this° wall°; we did not buy° any land°, and all° my servants° were gathered° there° for the work°. 17 Moreover, a[there were] at my table° one hundred° and fifty° Jews° and officials°, besides those who came° to us from the nations° that were around° us. 18 Now athat which° was prepared° for each day° was one° ox° [and] six° choice° sheep°, also birds° were prepared° for me; and once° in ten° days° all° sorts of wine° [were furnished] in abundance°. Yet for all this° bI did not demand° the governor’s° food° [allowance], because° the servitude° was heavy° on this° people°. 19 aRemember° me, O my God°, for good°, [according to] all° that I have done° for this° people°.

[14] ILit brothers aNe 1:1 bNe 13:6
[15] ILit made heavy aNe 5:9; Jb 31:23
[16] IOr held fast
[17] a1K 18:19
[18] a1K 4:22, 23 b2Th 3:8
[19] aNe 13:14, 22, 31


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The Jews complain of their debt, mortgage, and bondage.

1 ¶ And there was² a greatº cryº of the peopleº and of their wivesº against² their brethrenº the Jews.º 2 For there wereº that² said,ºª We,² our sons,º and our daughters,º [are] many:º therefore we take upºª cornº [for them], that we may eat,ºª and live.ºª 3 [Some] also there wereº that² said,ºª We² have mortgagedºª our lands,º vineyards,º and houses,º that we might buyºª corn,º because of the dearth.º 4 There wereº also that² said,ºª We have borrowedºª moneyº for the king'sº tribute,º [and that upon] our landsº and vineyards.º 5 Yet now² our fleshº [is] as the fleshº of our brethren,º our childrenº as their children:º and, lo,² we² bring into bondageºª² our sonsº and our daughtersº to be servants,º and [some] of our daughtersº² areº brought unto bondageºª [already]: neither² [is it] in our powerºº [to redeem them]; for other² men¹ have our landsº and vineyards.º

[1] Ex 3:7; 22:25; Lv 25:35; Dt 15:7; Jb 31:38; 34:28; Is 5:7; Lk 18:7; Ac 7:26; 1Co 6:6; Jm 5:4.
[2] Gn 41:57; 42:2; 43:8; Ps 127:3; 128:2; Mal 2:2.
[3] Gn 47:15; Lv 25:35; Dt 15:7; Mal 3:8.
[4] Dt 28:47; Jsh 16:10; 1K 9:21; Ezr 4:13, 20; Ne 9:37.
[5] Gn 37:27; Ex 21:1; Lv 25:39; 2K 4:1; Is 58:7; Mt 18:25; Jm 2:5.

Nehemiah rebuketh the usurers, and causeth them to make a covenant of restitution.

6 ¶ And I was veryº angryºª when² I heardºª² their cryº and these² words.º 7 Then I consultedºª with² myself,º and I rebukedºª² the nobles,º and the rulers,º and saidºª unto them, Ye² exactºªªª¹ª¹ usury,º every oneº of his brother.º And I setºª a greatº assemblyº against² them. 8 And I saidºª unto them, We² after our abilityº have redeemedºª² our brethrenº the Jews,º which were soldºª unto the heathen;º and will ye² even² sellºª² your brethren?º or shall they be soldºª unto us? Then held they their peace,ºª and foundºª nothingº² [to answer]. 9 Also I said,ºª It [is] not² goodº² that¹² ye² do:ºª ought ye not² to walk¹ª² in the fearº of our Godº because of the reproachº² of the heathenº our enemies?ºª 10 I² likewise,² [and] my brethren,º and my servants,º might exactºª of them moneyº and corn:º I pray² you, let us leave offºª² this² usury.º 11 Restore,ºª I pray² you, to them, even this day,º their lands,º their vineyards,º their oliveyards,º and their houses,º also the hundredthº [part] of the money,º and of the corn,º the wine,º and the oil,º that² ye² exactºª of them. 12 Then saidºª they, We will restoreºª [them], and will requireºª nothing² of² them; so² will we doºª as² thou² sayest.ºª Then I calledºª² the priests,º and took an oathºª of them, that they should doºª according to this² promise.º 13 Also² I shookºª my lap,º and said,ºª So² Godº shake outºª² every² manº from his house,º² and from his labour,º² that² performethºª not²² this² promise,º even thus² be² he shaken out,ºª and emptied.º And all² the congregationº said,ºª Amen,º and praisedºª² the LORD.º And the peopleº didºª according to this² promise.º

[6] Ex 11:8; Nu 16:15; Ne 13:8, 25; Mk 3:5; Ep 4:26.
[7] Ex 22:25; Lv 19:15; 25:36; Dt 15:2; 23:19; 24:10; 2Ch 19:6; 28:9; Ps 4:4; 15:1, 5; 27:8; 82:1; Pv 27:5; Ezk 22:12; 45:9; Mt 18:17; 2Co 5:16; Ga 2:11; 1Ti 5:20; Tit 2:15.
[8] Ex 21:16; Lv 25:47; Dt 24:7; Jb 29:10; 32:15; Mt 22:12; 25:15, 29; Ro 3:19; 14:15; 1Co 8:11; 2Co 8:12; Ga 6:10.
[9] Gn 13:7; 20:11; 42:18; Lv 25:36; 1S 2:24; 2S 12:14; Ne 5:15; Pv 16:29; 17:26; 18:5; 19:2; 24:23; Ezk 36:20; Ac 9:31; Ro 2:24; 1Ti 5:14; Tit 2:5; 1P 2:12.
[10] Ex 22:25; Ne 5:7; Ps 15:5; Ezk 18:8, 13; Mi 2:1; Lk 3:13; 1Co 9:12; 2Co 5:11, 20; 6:1; Phm 1:8.
[11] Lv 6:4; 1S 12:3; 2S 12:6; Ne 5:3; Is 58:6; Lk 3:8.
[12] 2K 23:2; 2Ch 6:22; 15:13; 28:14; Ezr 10:5, 12; Ne 10:29; 13:25; Jr 34:8; Mt 19:21; 26:63; Lk 19:8.
[13] Nu 5:22; Dt 27:14; 1S 15:28; 1K 11:29; 2K 23:3; 1Ch 16:36; Ps 50:14; 76:11; 119:106; Ec 5:5; Zc 5:3; Mt 10:14; Ac 13:51; 18:6.

He forbeareth his own allowance, and keepeth hospitality.

14 ¶ Moreover² from the timeº² that² I was appointedºª to be² their governorº in the landº of Judah,º from the twentiethº yearº² even unto² the twoº and thirtiethº yearº of Artaxerxesº the king,º [that is], twelveºº years,º I² and my brethrenº have not² eatenºª the breadº of the governor.º 15 But the formerº governorsº that² [had been] beforeº me were chargeableºª unto² the people,º and had takenºª of² them breadº and wine,º besideº fortyº shekelsº of silver;º yea,² even¹ their servantsº bare ruleºª over² the people:º but so² didºª not² I,² becauseº² of the fearº of God.º 16 Yea, also² I continuedºª in the workº of this² wall,º neither² boughtºª we any land:º and all² my servantsº [were] gatheredºª thither² unto² the work.º 17 Moreover [there were] at² my tableº an hundredº and fiftyºº of the Jewsº and rulers,º beside those that cameºª unto² us from among² the heathenº that² [are] about² us.¹ 18 Now [that] which² was² preparedºª [for me] dailyº² [was] oneº oxº [and] sixº choiceºª sheep;º also fowlsº were preparedºª for me, and once² in tenº daysº storeºª of all² sorts of wine:º yet for allº this² requiredºª not² I the breadº of the governor,º because² the bondageº was heavyºª upon² this² people.º 19 Thinkºª upon me, my God,º for good,º [according] to all² that² I have doneºª for² this² people.º

[14] Ezr 4:13; Ne 2:1; 13:6; Ro 13:6; 1Co 9:4, 18; 2Th 3:8.
[15] 1S 2:15; 8:15; Ne 5:9; Jb 31:23; Ps 112:1; 147:11; Pv 16:6; 29:12; Ec 12:13; Is 50:10; Mt 5:47; Lk 18:2; 2Co 11:9; 12:13.
[16] Nu 16:15; Lk 8:15; Ac 20:33; Ro 2:7; 1Co 15:58; 2Co 12:16; Ga 6:9; Php 2:20; 1Th 2:5.
[17] 2S 9:7, 13; 1K 18:19; Is 32:8; Ro 12:13; 1P 4:9.
[18] 1K 4:22; Ne 5:14; Ps 37:21, 26.
[19] Gn 40:14; Ne 13:14, 22, 31; Ps 18:23; 25:6; 40:17; 106:4; Jr 29:11; Mt 10:42; 25:34; Mk 9:41.


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