Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
Some also there were that said, We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses: let us get grain, because of the dearth.
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and our vineyards.
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already: neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.
And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the {Or, deputies}rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I held a great assembly against them.
And I said unto them, We after our ability have {Hebrew: bought.}redeemed our brethren the Jews, that were sold unto the nations; and would ye even sell your brethren, and should they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found never a word.
Also I said, The thing that ye do is not good: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, do lend them money and grain. I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.
Also I shook out my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performeth not this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the assembly said, Amen, and praised Jehovah. And the people did according to this promise.
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
But the former governors that were before me {Or, laid burdens upon}were chargeable unto the people, and took of them bread and wine, {Or, at the rate of Or, afterward}besides forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants {Or, lorded over}bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
Yea, also I {Hebrew: held fast to.}continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the {Or, deputies}rulers, a hundred and fifty men, besides those that came unto us from among the nations that were round about us.
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 store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this I demanded not the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
Remember unto me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.
Querverweise zu Nehemia 5,7 Neh 5,7
{Or, Be ye angry}Stand in awe, and sin not:Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. [Selah
Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty; but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor.
If thou lend money to any of my people with thee that is poor, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest.
But a prophet of Jehovah was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out to meet the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because Jehovah, the God of your fathers, was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage which hath reached up to heaven.
And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not even with you {Hebrew: guiltinesses.}trespasses of your own against Jehovah your God?
Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that ye have taken captive of your brethren; for the fierce wrath of Jehovah is upon you.
Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,
and said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for ye purpose that which will bring upon us {Or, guilt}a trespass against Jehovah, to add unto our sins and to our {Or, guilt}trespass; for our {Or, guilt}trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee,Thy face, Jehovah, will I seek.
and said to the judges, Consider what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for Jehovah; and he is with you {Or, in giving judgement Hebrew: in the matter of judgement.}in the judgment.
Take thou no interest of him or increase, but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.
And if he refuse to hear them, tell it unto the {Or, congregation}church: and if he refuse to hear the {Or, congregation}church also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the {See marginal note on chapter 5:46.}publican.
Now therefore let the fear of Jehovah be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with Jehovah our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes.
And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he hath lent unto his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because Jehovah's release hath been proclaimed.
A Psalm of Asaph.God standeth in the congregation of God;He judgeth among the gods.
How long will ye judge unjustly,And respect the persons of the wicked? [Selah
Judge the {Or, weak}poor and fatherless:Do justice to the afflicted and destitute.
Rescue the {Or, weak}poor and needy:Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.
Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it: but whatsoever of thine is with thy brother thy hand shall {Or, release: save when there &c.}release.
Better is open rebukeThan love that is hidden.
Thou shalt not lend upon interest to thy brother; interest of money, interest of victuals, interest of anything that is lent upon interest.
Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.
Unto a foreigner thou mayest lend upon interest; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon interest, that Jehovah thy God may bless thee in all that thou puttest thy hand unto, in the land whither thou goest in to possess it.
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to the face, because he stood condemned.
When thou dost lend thy neighbor any manner of loan, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.
Thou shalt stand without, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring forth the pledge without unto thee.
And if he be a poor man, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge;
thou shalt surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his garment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before Jehovah thy God.
Them that sin reprove in the sight of all, that the rest also may be in fear.
A Psalm of David.Jehovah, who shall sojourn in thy {Hebrew: tent.}tabernacle?Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
These things speak and exhort and reprove with all {Greek: commandment.}authority. Let no man despise thee.
{Or, He putteth}He that putteth not out his money to interest,Nor taketh reward against the innocent.He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
In thee have they taken bribes to shed blood; thou hast taken interest and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbors by oppression, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord Jehovah.
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute justice and righteousness; take away your {Hebrew: expulsions.}exactions from my people, saith the Lord Jehovah.