Nehemiah 5:7

7 And after turning it over in my mind, I made a protest to the chiefs and the rulers, and said to them, Every one of you is taking interest from his countryman. And I got together a great meeting of protest.

Nehemiah 5:7 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 5:7

Then I consulted with myself
What was to be done, what method to be taken to redress such grievances:

and I rebuked the nobles and the rulers;
who were the men that monopolized the corn in this dear season, and sold it at an extravagant price, and had got the lands, vineyards, and houses of the poor mortgaged to them, and to whom they had lent money on usury:

and said unto them, you exact usury everyone of his brother;
which was contrary to the express law of God, ( Exodus 22:25 ) and which even the Indians ^F8 strictly observed, who neither let out money, nor took any upon usury:

and I set a great assembly against them;
either of the poor that were oppressed, who brought in their accusations and complaints against them, or a large body of the people, who were not guilty, to hear them, that the delinquents might be put to public shame; or he called a large court of judicature, and set them to examine these allegations, and to do justice.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 4. c. 1.

Nehemiah 5:7 In-Context

5 But our flesh is the same as the flesh of our countrymen, and our children as their children: and now we are giving our sons and daughters into the hands of others, to be their servants, and some of our daughters are servants even now: and we have no power to put a stop to it; for other men have our fields and our vine-gardens.

6 And on hearing their outcry and what they said I was very angry.

7 And after turning it over in my mind, I made a protest to the chiefs and the rulers, and said to them, Every one of you is taking interest from his countryman. And I got together a great meeting of protest.

8 And I said to them, We have given whatever we were able to give, to make our brothers the Jews free, who were servants and prisoners of the nations: and would you now give up your brothers for a price, and are they to become our property? Then they said nothing, answering not a word.

9 And I said, What you are doing is not good: is it not the more necessary for you to go in the fear of our God, because of the shame which the nations may put on us?