Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed 1 UEB Then the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. BSB BSB: About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
2 UEB For there were some who said, "With our sons and daughters we are many. So let us get grain that we may eat and stay alive." BSB BSB: Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”
3 UEB There were also some who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain during the famine." BSB BSB: Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”
4 UEB Some also said, "We have borrowed money to pay the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. BSB BSB: Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
5 UEB Yet now our flesh and blood is the same as our brothers, and our children are the same as their children. We are forced to sell our sons and our daughters to become slaves. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved. But it is not in our power to help it because other men now own our fields and our vineyards." BSB BSB: We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
6 UEB I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. BSB BSB: When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,
7 UEB Then I thought about this, and brought charges against the nobles and officials. I said to them, "You are exacting interest, each from his own brother." I held a great assembly against them BSB BSB: and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them
8 UEB and said to them, "We, as much as we are able, have bought back from slavery our Jewish brothers who had been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers and sisters that they may be sold back to us!" They were silent and never found a word to say. BSB BSB: and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.
9 UEB Also I said, "What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations that are our enemies? BSB BSB: So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?
10 UEB I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. But we must stop charging interest on these loans. BSB BSB: I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury.
11 UEB Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses and the percentage of the money, the grain, the new wine, and the oil that you exacted from them." BSB BSB: Please restore to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you have been assessing them.”
12 UEB Then they said, "We will return what we took from them, and will require nothing from them. We will do as you say." Then I called the priests, and made them swear to do as they had promised. BSB BSB: “We will restore it,” they replied, “and will require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and required of the nobles and officials an oath that they would do what they had promised.
13 UEB I shook out the fold of my robe and said, "So may God shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep his promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied." All the assembly said, "Amen," and they praised Yahweh and the people did as they had promised. BSB BSB: I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.
Nehemiah’s Generosity 14 UEB So from the time I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food provided for the governor. BSB BSB: Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (twelve years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.
15 UEB But the former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people, and took from them forty shekels of silver for their daily food and wine. Even their servants oppressed the people. But I did not do so because of the fear of God. BSB BSB: The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people. But I did not do this, because of my fear of God.
16 UEB I also continued to work on the wall, and we bought no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. BSB BSB: Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my servants were gathered there for the work; we did not acquire any land.
17 UEB At my table were the Jews and the officials, 150 men, besides those who came to us from among the nations who were around us. BSB BSB: There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations.
18 UEB Now what was prepared each day was one ox, six choice sheep, and also birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance, yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the demands were too heavy on the people. BSB BSB: Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was provided. But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.
19 UEB Call me to mind, my God, for good, because of all that I have done for this people. BSB BSB: Remember me favorably, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.