Nehemiah 5

5 ¹ Now there arose a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. ² For there were those who said, "We, our sons, and our daughters are many; let us get grain so we can eat and stay alive." ³ There were also those who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain during the famine." ⁴ And there were those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards." ⁵ Now we are the same flesh and blood as our brothers, and our children the same as their children; yet we are forcing our sons and daughters into slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, and we are powerless, for our fields and vineyards belong to others.

⁶ I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. ⁷ I thought it through, and then brought charges against the nobles and officials. I said to them, "You are each charging interest from your own brother!" So I called a great assembly to confront them. ⁸ I said to them, "As far as we were able, we have bought back our Jewish brothers who had been sold to the nations. But now you yourselves are selling your own brothers, only for them to be sold back to us!" They were silent and could not find a word to say. ⁹ So I continued, "What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our Father, to avoid the taunts of the nations who are our enemies?" ¹⁰ I, my brothers, and my servants are also lending them money and grain. Let us stop charging this interest. ¹¹ Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, along with the interest on the money, the grain, the new wine, and the oil that you have been charging them.

¹² Then they said, "We will return it and require nothing more from them. We will do just as you say." So I called the priests and made the nobles swear an oath to do as they had promised.

¹³ I also shook out the fold of my robe and said, "So may our Father shake out from his house and his property every man who does not keep this promise. May he be shaken out and left empty." And the whole assembly said, "Amen," and praised our Father. And the people did as they had promised.

¹⁴ Moreover, from the day I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes — twelve years — neither I nor my brothers claimed the governor's food allowance. ¹⁵ But the former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people, taking from them food and wine, besides about a pound of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because I feared our Father. ¹⁶ I also devoted myself to the work on this wall, and we acquired no land. All my servants were gathered there for the work. ¹⁷ Moreover, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, besides those who came to us from the surrounding nations. ¹⁸ Each day, one ox and six choice sheep were prepared, along with poultry, all at my own expense; and every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. Yet with all this, I did not demand the governor's food allowance, because the work was a heavy burden on this people. ¹⁹ Remember me for good, my Father, for all that I have done for this people.