1
Then there arose a great outcry from the common people and their wives against their brothers the [wealthier] Judeans.
2
Some of them said, "Counting our sons and daughters, there are a lot of us! Allow us to get grain for them, so that we can eat and stay alive."
3
There were also some who said, "We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards and homes in order to buy grain, because of the famine."
4
Yet others said, "We have borrowed money for the king's taxes against our fields and vineyards.
5
Now our flesh is no different from the flesh of our kinsmen, and our children are the same as their children; yet we are bringing our sons and daughters into bondage as slaves. Some of our daughters have gone into slavery already, and it's beyond our power to do anything about it, because other men have our fields and vineyards."
6
When I heard their outcry and the reasons for it, I became very angry.
7
I thought the matter over and then took issue with the nobles and rulers. I charged them, "You are lending against pledges, everyone to his brother"; and I summoned a great assembly to deal with them.
8
I said to them, "We, to the limit of our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Judeans who sold themselves to the pagans. Now you are selling your own brothers, and we will have to buy them back!"They stayed silent; they couldn't think of anything to say.