Nehemiah / Reform of Economic Oppression

Reform of Economic Oppression

Nehemiah 5:1-19

Chapter 5

¹ There was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. ² Some were saying, "We have many sons and daughters; so let us get grain, eat, and live." ³ Some were saying, "We are mortgaging our fields and our vineyards and our houses to get grain during the famine." ⁴ Some were saying to us, "We are mortgaging our fields and our vineyards to pay the king's tax." ⁵ Now, our flesh is the same as our brothers' flesh, their sons are our sons, and yet we are forcing our sons and daughters into slavery. Some of our daughters have already been forced into slavery, and we are helpless. Our fields and vineyards belong to others. ⁶ I was greatly angered when I heard their outcry and these matters. ⁷ I was deeply moved, and I contended with the nobles and the officials and said to them: "You are lending on interest, every man to his brother." And I convened a great assembly against them. ⁸ And I said to them, “We have bought our brothers the Jews who were sold to the nations on account of our sons, and also you sell your brothers and they are sold to us.” And they were silent and did not find a word. ⁹ And I said, "What you are doing is not good! Will you not walk in the fear of the Lord to avoid the reproach of the nations, our enemies?" ¹⁰ I and my brothers and my men are also lending them silver and grain. Let us give up this burden. ¹¹ Please return to them today their fields, their vineyards, their olives, and their houses, and the silver and the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil that you are giving them. ¹² And they said, "We will return, and from them we will not seek; so we will do as you say." Then I called the priests and made them swear to do according to this word. ¹³ I also shook out my lap and said, "In this way may God shake out every man who does not uphold this word from his house and from his toil, and thus may he be shaken out and empty." And all the assembly said, "Amen," and they praised the LORD. And the people did according to this word. ¹⁴ Moreover, from the day that he appointed me governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years—I and my brothers—did not eat the governor's bread. ¹⁵ The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Also their servants ruled over the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God. ¹⁶ I also held strong in the work of this wall, and we did not buy a field. All my boys gathered there on the work. ¹⁷ And the Jews and the provincial governors, a hundred and fifty men, and those coming to us from the nations that are around us, ate at my table. ¹⁸ And what was done for one day: one ox, one sheep, six select portions, and birds were done for me. And every ten days, in all wine for multiplying. And with this, bread of the governor I did not seek, for the labor had become heavy upon this people. ¹⁹ Remember me, O God, for good, all that I did for this people.