Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed 1 ULT And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their brothers, the Jews. BSB BSB: About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
2 ULT And there were those who said,“Our sons and our daughters, we are many. And let us take grain, so we can eat, and we can live.” 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 ULT And there were those who said,“We are mortgaging our fields and our vineyards and our houses so we can 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 ULT And there were those who said,“We have borrowed silver for the tribute of the king 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 ULT And now, our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our sons are as their sons. And behold, we are putting our sons and our daughters into bondage as slaves. There are those even of our daughters who have been put into bondage, and there is nothing to God in our hand, for our fields and our vineyards belong to others.” 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 ULT And it burned me extremely when I heard their outcry and these words. BSB BSB: When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,
7 ULT And my heart reigned over me, and I contended with the nobles and with the prefects. And I said to them,“You are lending interest, a man against his brother!” And I put forth 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 ULT And I said to them,“We ourselves, according to our ability, have bought back our brothers, the Jews, the ones who were sold to the nations. But even you yourselves are selling your brothers, and they are being bought back by us!” Then they were silent, and they did not find a word. 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 ULT And I said,“This thing that you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations, 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 ULT Also, even I, my brothers, and my young men are lending against them silver and grain. Please, let us forsake this interest! 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 ULT Please, even today, return to them their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and a hundred of the silver and the grain, the new wine, and the oil that you are lending against 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 ULT And they said,“We will return, and we will seek nothing from them. Thus we will do according to what you say.” And I called the priests, and I caused them to swear to do according to this word. 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 ULT Also, I shook out my bosom, and I said,“Thus may God shake out from his house and from his labor every man who does not cause this word to stand. And thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said,“Amen!” And they praised Yahweh, and the people did according to this word. 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 ULT Also, from the day that he appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from year 20 even until year 32 of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I myself did not eat the bread of the governor, nor did my brothers. 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 ULT But the former governors who were before my face had been heavy on the people, and they took from them bread and wine, after forty silver shekels. Also, their young men had acted dominantly over the people. But I myself did not do thus, from the face 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 ULT Yes, also I held fast to the work of this wall, and we did not buy a field. And all my young men 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 ULT Now the Jews and the prefects were 150 men at my table, with the ones coming to us from the nations that were around us. BSB BSB: There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations.
18 ULT And what was made for one day was one bull, six choice sheep, and birds were made for me, and between ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. So with this I did not seek the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy on this 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 ULT Remember me, my God, for good, 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.