Chapter 5
1 Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews .
2 For there were some who said, "We, our sons and our daughters , are many . Let us get grain , that we may eat and live ."
3 There were also some who said, "We are mortgaging our fields , our vineyards , and our houses . Let us get grain , because of the famine ."
4 There were also some who said, "We have borrowed money for the king ’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.
5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers , our children as their children . Behold , ", means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection. we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants , and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage . It is also not in our power to help it , because other men have our fields and our vineyards ."
6 I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words .
7 Then I consulted with myself , and contended with the nobles and the rulers , and said to them , " You exact usury , everyone of his brother." I held a great assembly against them .
8 I said to them , " We , after our ability , have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations ; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us ?" Then they held their peace , and found not a word to say .
9 Also I said , " The thing that you do is not good . Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations , our enemies?
10 I likewise , my brothers and my servants , lend them money and grain . Please let us stop this usury .
11 Please restore to them , even today , their fields , their vineyards , their olive groves , and their houses , also the hundredth part of the money , and of the grain , the new wine , and the oil , that you are charging them ."
12 Then they said , " We will restore them , and will require nothing of them . We will do so , even as you say ." Then I called the priests , and took an oath of them , that they would do according to this promise .
13 Also I shook out my lap , and said , " So may God shake out every man from his house , and from his labor , that doesn’t perform this promise ; even may he be shaken out and emptied like this ." All the assembly said , "Amen," and praised Yahweh . The people did according to this promise .
14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah , from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king , that is , twelve years , I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor .
15 But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people , and took bread and wine from them , plus forty shekels of silver ; yes , even their servants ruled over the people , but I didn’t do so , because of the fear of God .
16 Yes , I also continued in the work of this wall . We didn’t buy any land . All my servants were gathered there to the work .
17 Moreover there were at my table , of the Jews and the rulers , one hundred fifty men, in addition to those who came to us from among the nations that were around us .
18 Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep . Also fowls were prepared for me , and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine . Yet for all this , I didn’t demand the governor ’s pay , because the bondage was heavy on this people .
19 Remember me , my God, for all the good that I have done for this people .