1 And there was a great H1419 cry H6818 of the people H5971 and of their wives H802 against their brethren H251 the Jews. H3064
If thou lend H3867 money H3701 to any of my people H5971 that is poor H6041 by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, H5383 neither shalt thou lay H7760 upon him usury. H5392 If thou at all H2254 take H2254 thy neighbour's H7453 raiment H8008 to pledge, H2254 thou shalt deliver H7725 it unto him by H5704 that the sun H8121 goeth down: H935 For that is his covering H3682 only, it is his raiment H8071 for his skin: H5785 wherein shall he sleep? H7901 and it shall come to pass, when he crieth H6817 unto me, that I will hear; H8085 for I am gracious. H2587
And if thy brother H251 be waxen poor, H4134 and fallen in decay H4131 with thee; H3027 then thou shalt relieve H2388 him: yea, though he be a stranger, H1616 or a sojourner; H8453 that he may live H2416 with thee. Take H3947 thou no usury H5392 of him, or increase: H8636 but fear H3372 thy God; H430 that thy brother H251 may live H2416 with thee. Thou shalt not give H5414 him thy money H3701 upon usury, H5392 nor lend H5414 him thy victuals H400 for increase. H4768
If there be among you a poor man H34 of one H259 of thy brethren H251 within any H259 of thy gates H8179 in thy land H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee, thou shalt not harden H553 thine heart, H3824 nor shut H7092 thine hand H3027 from thy poor H34 brother: H251 But thou shalt open H6605 thine hand H3027 wide H6605 unto him, and shalt surely H5670 lend H5670 him sufficient H1767 for his need, H4270 in that which he wanteth. H2637 Beware H8104 that there be not a thought H1697 in thy wicked H1100 heart, H3824 saying, H559 The seventh H7651 year, H8141 the year H8141 of release, H8059 is at hand; H7126 and thine eye H5869 be evil H7489 against thy poor H34 brother, H251 and thou givest H5414 him nought; and he cry H7121 unto the LORD H3068 against thee, and it be sin H2399 unto thee. Thou shalt surely H5414 give H5414 him, and thine heart H3824 shall not be grieved H3415 when thou givest H5414 unto him: because H1558 that for this thing H1697 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall bless H1288 thee in all thy works, H4639 and in all that thou puttest H4916 thine hand H3027 unto. For the poor H34 shall never cease H2308 out of H7130 the land: H776 therefore I command H6680 thee, saying, H559 Thou shalt open H6605 thine hand H3027 wide H6605 unto thy brother, H251 to thy poor, H6041 and to thy needy, H34 in thy land. H776
If my land H127 cry H2199 against me, or that the furrows H8525 likewise H3162 thereof complain; H1058 If I have eaten H398 the fruits H3581 thereof without money, H3701 or have caused the owners H1167 thereof to lose H5301 their life: H5315
But G235 brother G80 goeth to law G2919 with G3326 brother, G80 and G2532 that G5124 before G1909 the unbelievers. G571 Now G2235 therefore G3303 G3767 there is G2076 utterly G3654 a fault G2275 among G1722 you, G5213 because G3754 ye go G2192 to law G2917 one with G3326 another. G1438 Why G1302 do ye G91 not G3780 rather G3123 take wrong? G91 why G1302 do ye G650 not G3780 rather G3123 suffer yourselves to be defrauded? G650 Nay, G235 ye G5210 do wrong, G91 and G2532 defraud, G650 and G2532 that G5023 your brethren. G80
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Nehemiah 5
Commentary on Nehemiah 5 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 5
Ne 5:1-5. The People Complain of Their Debt, Mortgage, and Bondage.
1-5. there was a great cry of the people … against their brethren—Such a crisis in the condition of the Jews in Jerusalem—fatigued with hard labor and harassed by the machinations of restless enemies, the majority of them poor, and the bright visions which hope had painted of pure happiness on their return to the land of their fathers being unrealized—must have been very trying to their faith and patience. But, in addition to these vexatious oppressions, many began to sink under a new and more grievous evil. The poor made loud complaints against the rich for taking advantage of their necessities, and grinding them by usurious exactions. Many of them had, in consequence of these oppressions, been driven to such extremities that they had to mortgage their lands and houses to enable them to pay the taxes to the Persian government, and ultimately even to sell their children for slaves to procure the means of subsistence. The condition of the poorer inhabitants was indeed deplorable; for, besides the deficient harvests caused by the great rains (Ezr 10:9; also Hag 1:6-11), a dearth was now threatened by the enemy keeping such a multitude pent up in the city, and preventing the country people bringing in provisions.
Ne 5:6-19. The Usurers Rebuked.
6-12. I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words—When such disorders came to the knowledge of the governor, his honest indignation was roused against the perpetrators of the evil. Having summoned a public assembly, he denounced their conduct in terms of just severity. He contrasted it with his own in redeeming with his money some of the Jewish exiles who, through debt or otherwise, had lost their personal liberty in Babylon. He urged the rich creditors not only to abandon their illegal and oppressive system of usury, but to restore the fields and vineyards of the poor, so that a remedy might be put to an evil the introduction of which had led to much actual disorder, and the continuance of which would inevitably prove ruinous to the newly restored colony, by violating the fundamental principles of the Hebrew constitution. The remonstrance was effectual. The conscience of the usurious oppressors could not resist the touching and powerful appeal. With mingled emotions of shame, contrition, and fear, they with one voice expressed their readiness to comply with the governor's recommendation. The proceedings were closed by the parties binding themselves by a solemn oath, administered by the priests, that they would redeem their pledge, as well as by the governor invoking, by the solemn and significant gesture of shaking a corner of his garment, a malediction on those who should violate it. The historian has taken care to record that the people did according to this promise.
14. Moreover from the time that I was appointed … I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor—We have a remarkable proof both of the opulence and the disinterestedness of Nehemiah. As he declined, on conscientious grounds, to accept the lawful emoluments attached to his government, and yet maintained a style of princely hospitality for twelve years out of his own resources, it is evident that his office of cup-bearer at the court of Shushan must have been very lucrative.
15. the former governors … had taken … bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver—The income of Eastern governors is paid partly in produce, partly in money. "Bread" means all sorts of provision. The forty shekels of silver per day would amount to a yearly salary of £1800 sterling.
17. Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews—In the East it has been always customary to calculate the expense of a king's or grandee's establishment, not by the amount of money disbursed, but by the quantity of provisions consumed (see 1Ki 4:22; 18:19; Ec 5:11).