Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor

Nehemiah 5

1 And there was a great a outcry of the people and their wives against their b Jewish brethren. 2 For there were those who said, "We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live." 3 There were also some who said, "We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine." 4 There were also those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our lands and vineyards. 5 "Yet now c our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we d are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards."

6 And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, e "Each of you is 1 exacting usury from his brother." So I 2 called a great assembly against them. 8 And I said to them, "According to our ability we have f redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?" Then they were silenced and found nothing to say. 9 Then I said, "What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk g in the fear of our God h because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10 "I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this 3 usury! 11 "Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them." 12 So they said, "We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say." Then I called the priests, i and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. 13 Then j I shook out 4 the fold of my garment and said, "So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. k Then the people did according to this promise.

  1. Cross References
    Leviticus 25:35 - 37
    If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you.
    Nehemiah 5:7
    After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, "Each of you is exacting usury from his brother." So I called a great assembly against them.
    Nehemiah 5:8
    And I said to them, "According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?" Then they were silenced and found nothing to say.
  2. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 15:7
    If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother.
  3. Cross References
    Isaiah 58:7
    Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
  4. Cross References
    Exodus 21:7
    And if a man sells his daughter to be a female slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do.
    Leviticus 25:39
    And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave.
  5. Cross References
    Exodus 22:25
    If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest.
    Leviticus 25:36
    Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you.
    Deuteronomy 23:19
    You shall not charge interest to your brother - interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest.
    Deuteronomy 23:20
    To a foreigner you may charge interest, but to your brother you shall not charge interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all to which you set your hand in the land which you are entering to possess.
    Ezekiel 22:12
    In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me," says the Lord GOD.
  6. Cross References
    Leviticus 25:48
    After he is sold he may be redeemed again. One of his brothers may redeem him.
  7. Cross References
    Leviticus 25:36
    Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you.
  8. Cross References
    2 Samuel 12:14
    "However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."
    Romans 2:24
    For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written.
    1 Peter 2:12
    Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
  9. Cross References
    Ezra 10:5
    Then Ezra arose, and made the leaders of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear an oath that they would do according to this word. So they swore an oath.
    Jeremiah 34:8
    This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem to proclaim liberty to them:
    Jeremiah 34:9
    That every man should set free his male and female slave - a Hebrew man or woman - that no one should keep a Jewish brother in bondage.
  10. Cross References
    Matthew 10:14
    And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.
    Acts 13:51
    But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.
    Acts 18:6
    But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, "Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.
  11. Cross References
    2 Kings 23:3
    Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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