Nehemiah 5:7

7 After I thought about it, I accused the important people and the leaders, "You are charging your own brothers too much interest." So I called a large meeting to deal with them.

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 We are just like our fellow Jews, and our sons are like their sons. But we have to sell our sons and daughters as slaves. Some of our daughters have already been sold. But there is nothing we can do, because our fields and vineyards already belong to other people."

6 When I heard their complaints about these things, I was very angry.

7 After I thought about it, I accused the important people and the leaders, "You are charging your own brothers too much interest." So I called a large meeting to deal with them.

8 I said to them, "As much as possible, we have bought freedom for our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. Now you are selling your fellow Jews to us!" The leaders were quiet and had nothing to say.

9 Then I said, "What you are doing is not right. Don't you fear God? Don't let our foreign enemies shame us.