Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed
About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. Isa 5:7Deu 15:7-111Co 6:6-8Act 7:26Exo 22:25-27Exo 3:7Jas 5:4Job 31:38-39
Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.” Mal 2:2Psa 128:2-4Gen 41:57Gen 42:2Gen 43:8Psa 127:3-5
Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.” Lev 25:35-39Mal 3:8-11Deu 15:7Gen 47:15-25
Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. Ezr 4:13Ezr 4:201Ki 9:21Deu 28:47-48Ezr 7:24Jos 16:10Neh 9:37 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.” 2Ki 4:1Lev 25:39-43Gen 37:27Isa 58:7Exo 21:1-11Gen 29:14Jas 2:5-6Mat 18:25
When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry, Exo 11:8Neh 13:25Eph 4:26Num 16:15Mrk 3:5Neh 13:8 and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” Deu 23:19-20Lev 25:36Exo 22:252Ch 19:6-7Deu 15:2-3Deu 24:10-13Ezk 22:12Lev 19:15
So I called a large assembly against them 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!” Lev 25:47-491Co 8:112Co 8:12Deu 24:7Exo 21:16Job 29:10Job 32:15Mat 22:12
But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.
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? Lev 25:361Pe 2:122Sa 12:14Pro 18:5Rom 2:24Tit 2:51Sa 2:241Ti 5:14 I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury. 2Co 6:1Exo 22:25-271Co 9:12-182Co 5:112Co 5:20Ezk 18:13Ezk 18:8Luk 3:13-14 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.” Isa 58:6Lev 6:4-51Sa 12:32Sa 12:6Luk 3:8Neh 5:3-4
“We will restore it,” they replied, “and will require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” Ezr 10:5Jer 34:8-102Ch 15:13-142Ch 28:14-152Ch 6:22-232Ki 23:2-3Ezr 10:12Luk 19:8
So I summoned the priests and required of the nobles and officials an oath that they would do what they had promised. I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of His house and possession every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” Act 18:61Ch 16:36Mat 10:14Zec 5:3-41Ki 11:29-311Sa 15:282Ki 23:3Act 13:51
The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.
Nehemiah’s Generosity
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. Neh 13:61Co 9:181Co 9:4-152Th 3:8-9Ezr 4:13-14Neh 2:1Rom 13:6-7
The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. 1 Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do this because of my fear of God. Neh 5:9Isa 50:10Pro 16:62Co 11:9Ecc 12:13-14Job 31:23Mat 5:471Sa 8:15 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. Gal 6:91Co 15:581Th 2:5-6Act 20:33-35Php 2:20-212Co 12:16-18Luk 8:15Num 16:15
There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations. 1Ki 18:191Pe 4:9-102Sa 9:72Sa 9:13Isa 32:8Rom 12:13 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. 1Ki 4:22-23Psa 37:21Psa 37:26Neh 5:14-15
Remember me favorably, O my God, for all that I have done for this people. Neh 13:31Neh 13:14Neh 13:22Psa 106:4Jer 29:11Psa 25:6-7Mat 10:42Mrk 9:41