Nehemiah 5:1-13
Read Nehemiah 5 in full →Each Usury Is Forsaken
5Then athere was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their bJewish brothers. 2Now there were those who were saying, “We, with our sons and our daughters, are many; therefore let us aget grain that we may eat and live.” 3There were others who were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses, that we might get grain because of the famine.” 4Also there were those who were saying, “We have borrowed money afor the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5“But 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 subjugation, and we have no power in our hands to help, and our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6Then I was very aangry when I had heard their outcry and these words. 7I consulted within my own heart and contended with the nobles and the officials and said to them, “aYou are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. 8I said to them, “We, according to our ability, ahave bought back our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; and now would you also sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?” Then they were silent and could not find a word to say. 9And 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 young men are lending them money and grain. Please, let us forsake 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.” 12Then they said, “We awill give it back and bwill require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you are saying.” So I called the priests and cmade them swear that they would do according to this word. 13I aalso shook out the 1front of my garment and said, “Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not establish this word; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And ball the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised Yahweh. Then the people did according to this word.