Nehemiah 5:11

11 And again yield ye to them to day their fields, and their vineries, their olive places, and their houses; and rather, give ye for them the hundred part of money, and of wheat, of wine, and of oil, which ye were wont to take of them. (And today, give ye back to them their fields, and their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses; and give ye back to them the money, and the corn, the wine, and the oil, which ye were wont to take from them.)

Nehemiah 5:11 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 5:11

Restore, I pray you, even this day, their lands, their
vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses
Which they had made over to them for corn they had had, or money they borrowed of them; it is entreated that an immediate restitution be made, and the rather, if what Aben Ezra observes is true, that this was the year of release, when debts were not to be exacted, but forgiven, ( Deuteronomy 15:1-3 ) ,

also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and
the oil, that ye exact of them;
the hundredth part of the money might be what they took for usury, as the Romans did in later times, even so much a month; so that if the loan was one hundred pounds, a pound was given every month for it, and so one hundred and twelve pounds in the year; and the hundredth part of the corn, wine, and oil, might be the hundredth part of those fruits of the earth which the rulers demanded for their salary, see ( Nehemiah 5:15 ) .

Nehemiah 5:11 In-Context

9 And I said to them, It is not (a) good thing, that ye do; why go ye not in the dread of our God, and reproof be not said to us of heathen men, our enemies? (And I said to them, It is not good what ye have done; why do ye not go in the fear of our God? and then rebuke would not be said to us by our enemies, the heathen.)
10 Both I, and my brethren, and my servants, have lent to full many men money and wheat; in common, ask we not (for) this again; but forgive we alien money, or usury, which is due to us. (I, and my kinsmen, and my servants, have lent money and corn to a great many people; let us agree together that we shall not ask for any of this back; and let us forget about the interest, which is due to us.)
11 And again yield ye to them to day their fields, and their vineries, their olive places, and their houses; and rather, give ye for them the hundred part of money, and of wheat, of wine, and of oil, which ye were wont to take of them. (And today, give ye back to them their fields, and their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses; and give ye back to them the money, and the corn, the wine, and the oil, which ye were wont to take from them.)
12 And they said, We shall yield their goods to them, and we shall ask nothing of them; and we shall do so as thou speakest. And I called the priests, and I made them to swear, that they should do after this, that I had said. (And they said, We shall give back their goods to them, and we shall ask nothing from them; and we shall do as thou sayest. And I called for the priests, and I made them swear before the priests, that they would do as they had promised.)
13 And furthermore I shook my bosom, and I said, So (may) God shake away each man from his house, and from his travails, that fulfilleth not this word; and be he shaken away, and be he made void. And all the multitude said, Amen; and they praised God. And the people did, as it was said (And all the people/And all the leaders did, as they had promised).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.