Nehemiah 5

1 And there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their brothers the Jews. 2 Some of them were saying, “With our sons and our daughters we are many. We will get grain, and eat, and live.”

3 And there were others saying, “Our fields and our vineyards and our houses — we are putting them up as pledges. And we will get grain, and eat.” 4 And there were others saying, “We have borrowed silver for the king’s tribute — our fields, our vineyards, our houses. [a] 5 And now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, and our sons are like their sons; and here we are, forcing our own sons and our own daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are held in it already, and there is no strength in our hands, and our fields and our vineyards belong to the nobles.”

6 And I was deeply grieved when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 And my heart took counsel within me, and I contended with the nobles and the leaders, and I said to them, “Are you each demanding payment from your own brother?” And I called a great assembly against them, 8 and I said to them, “Of our own free will we have bought back our brothers the Jews who were sold to the nations. And you — you are selling your own brothers!” And they were silent, and found no word to answer. [b]

9 And I said, “What you are doing is not good. Not this way — you are to go on in the fear of our God, and so come clear of the reproach of the nations, our enemies. 10 My brothers and my acquaintances and I myself have put out silver and grain among them. Let us give up this demand for payment! † 11 Give back to them today their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses; and out of the silver, bring out to them the grain and the wine and the oil.” [c]

12 And they said, “We will give it back, and we will ask nothing from them. We will do just as you say.” Then I called the priests and put them under oath to act according to this word. 13 And I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man who does not stand by this word — out of his house and out of his labor. So may he be shaken out, and left empty.” And all the assembly said, “Amen.” And they praised the Lord; and the people did this thing. [d]

14 From the day he charged me to be their ruler in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes — twelve years — I and my brothers did not eat the food that was taken from them by force. [e] 15 But the earlier takings by force, which those before me laid heavily upon them — they took from them, for bread and wine, their last silver, forty pieces of silver, about a pound of it; and the men shaken out from among them held authority over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. [f] 16 And in the work of the wall I laid no hand on them, and I bought no field; and all who were gathered were there at the work.

17 And the Jews — a hundred and fifty men — and those who came to us from the nations around us were at my table. 18 For a single day one calf and six choice sheep were made ready, and a goat as well; these were provided for me, and every ten days wine in plenty for everyone. And with all this I did not ask for the bread taken by force, because the slavery lay heavy on this people. [g] 19 “Remember me, O God, for good, in all that I have done for this people.”