Nehemiah 5 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor

5:1 Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” 3 There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of 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 our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. 7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them 8 and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” 12 Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. 13 I also shook out the fold¹ of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.

Nehemiah’s Generosity

14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. 15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people and took from them for their daily ration² forty shekels³ of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. 16 I also persevered in the work on this wall, and we acquired no land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, there were at my table 150 men, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now what was prepared at my expense⁴ for each day was one ox and six choice sheep and birds, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Yet for all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because the service was too heavy on this people. 19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

Footnotes

[1] 5:13 Hebrew bosom
[2] 5:15 Compare Vulgate; Hebrew took from them for food and wine after
[3] 5:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
[4] 5:18 Or prepared for me

Commentary

v1-5: Having dealt with the attacks and threats from outside, problems arose from within. The wall, however strong, would be useless against such problems. There was poverty, famine, debt, slavery amongst the Jews. Although circumstances had been difficult, there had been an attitude of selfishness and greed, rather than a willingness to help others, especially the poor.

v6: Nehemiah was very angry, but he gave the matter some serious thought; his criticism (v7-10) was followed by his solution (v11-13).

v7-9: The nobles and rulers were particularly guilty, had leant money to the Jews to pay their taxes (v4), charging interest, which they became unable to repay, so they had sold their children as slaves. They had already mortgaged their land because of the famine. This is a typical cycle of poverty, out of which few can break.

The nobles and rulers had lined their own pockets while their brethren suffered. We are to treat our brethren fairly; 1 Cor 6.1-11; we are not to behave like unbelievers (Ps 15.5).

Nehemiah's words silenced the nobles and rulers, for they knew they were guilty.

v10: Nehemiah himself had leant the people grain and money to help them through the difficult times; but the charging of interest had to stop.

v11: Nehemiah commanded full restoration of everything they had taken, done to the last hundredth.

v12-13: There was full agreement from the people to put things right. Clearly, if the people were in unity over these issues, the poor would be provided for.

v14-18: In summary, Nehemiah recorded his own generous attitude; compare Paul's attitude in 1 Cor 9. The previous governors (Tattenai, Ezra 5.3) had lived in some luxury at the expense of the people. Although Nehemiah had the right to the governor's provisions, he did not claim that right, such was his fear of God and concern for the people (John 5.44). He also turned down the opportunity to buy land, for he had a greater work to do.

The daily provision was not great, considering that 150 Jews and rules, plus visitors, had to be fed.