Nehemiah 5:7

7 and decided to act. I denounced the leaders and officials of the people and told them, "You are oppressing your own relatives!" ¹ I called a public assembly to deal with the problem

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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Nehemiah 5:7 In-Context

5 We are of the same race as the other Jews. Aren't our children just as good as theirs? But we have to make slaves of our children. Some of our daughters have already been sold as slaves. We are helpless because our fields and vineyards have been taken away from us."

6 When I heard their complaints, I grew angry

7 and decided to act. I denounced the leaders and officials of the people and told them, "You are oppressing your own relatives!" I called a public assembly to deal with the problem

8 and said, "As far as we have been able, we have been buying back our Jewish relatives who had to sell themselves to foreigners. Now you are forcing your own relatives to sell themselves to you, their own people!" The leaders were silent and could find nothing to say.

9 Then I said, "What you are doing is wrong! You ought to obey God and do what's right. Then you would not give our enemies, the Gentiles, any reason to ridicule us.

Cross References

• 1. 5.7Exodus 22.25;Leviticus 25. 35-37;Deuteronomy 23.19, 20.