Parallel Bible results for "nehemiah 5"

Nehemiah 5

New Revised Standard NRS

1 Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish kin.

2 For there were those who said, "With our sons and our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay alive."

3 There were also those who said, "We are having to pledge our fields, our vineyards, and our houses in order to get grain during the famine."

4 And there were those who said, "We are having to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay the king's tax.

5 Now our flesh is the same as that of our kindred; our children are the same as their children; and yet we are forcing our sons and daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been ravished; we are powerless, and our fields and vineyards now belong to others."

6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints.

7 After thinking it over, I brought charges against the nobles and the officials; I said to them, "You are all taking interest from your own people." And I called a great assembly to deal with them,

8 and said to them, "As far as we were able, we have bought back our Jewish kindred who had been sold to other nations; but now you are selling your own kin, who must then be bought back by us!" They were silent, and could not find a word to say.

9 So I said, "The thing that you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies?

10 Moreover I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us stop this taking of interest.

11 Restore to them, this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the interest on money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them."

12 Then they said, "We will restore everything and demand nothing more from them. We will do as you say." And I called the priests, and made them take an oath to do as they had promised.

13 I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, "So may God shake out everyone from house and from property who does not perform this promise. Thus may they be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said, "Amen," and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor.

15 The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people, and took food and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God.

16 Indeed, I devoted myself to the work on this wall, and acquired no land; and all my servants were gathered there for the work.

17 Moreover there were at my table one hundred fifty people, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations around us.

18 Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and every ten days skins of wine in abundance; yet with all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because of the heavy burden of labor on the people.

19 Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

The Message Bible MSG

1 A great protest was mounted by the people, including the wives, against their fellow Jews.

2 Some said, "We have big families, and we need food just to survive."

3 Others said, "We're having to mortgage our fields and vineyards and homes to get enough grain to keep from starving."

4 And others said, "We're having to borrow money to pay the royal tax on our fields and vineyards.

5 Look: We're the same flesh and blood as our brothers here; our children are just as good as theirs. Yet here we are having to sell our children off as slaves - some of our daughters have already been sold - and we can't do anything about it because our fields and vineyards are owned by somebody else."

6 I got really angry when I heard their protest and complaints.

7 After thinking it over, I called the nobles and officials on the carpet. I said, "Each one of you is gouging his brother."

8 I told them, "We did everything we could to buy back our Jewish brothers who had to sell themselves as slaves to foreigners. And now you're selling these same brothers back into debt slavery! Does that mean that we have to buy them back again?" They said nothing. What could they say?

9 "What you're doing is wrong. Is there no fear of God left in you? Don't you care what the nations around here, our enemies, think of you?

10 "I and my brothers and the people working for me have also loaned them money. But this gouging them with interest has to stop.

11 Give them back their foreclosed fields, vineyards, olive groves, and homes right now. And forgive your claims on their money, grain, new wine, and olive oil."

12 They said, "We'll give it all back. We won't make any more demands on them. We'll do everything you say."

13 Then I emptied my pockets, turning them inside out, and said, "So may God empty the pockets and house of everyone who doesn't keep this promise - turned inside out and emptied." Everyone gave a wholehearted "Yes, we'll do it!" and praised God. And the people did what they promised. "Remember in My Favor, O My God"

14 From the time King Artaxerxes appointed me as their governor in the land of Judah - from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of his reign, twelve years - neither I nor my brothers used the governor's food allowance.

15 Governors who had preceded me had oppressed the people by taxing them forty shekels of silver (about a pound) a day for food and wine while their underlings bullied the people unmercifully. But out of fear of God I did none of that.

16 I had work to do; I worked on this wall. All my men were on the job to do the work. We didn't have time to line our own pockets.

17 I fed one hundred and fifty Jews and officials at my table in addition to those who showed up from the surrounding nations.

18 One ox, six choice sheep, and some chickens were prepared for me daily, and every ten days a large supply of wine was delivered. Even so, I didn't use the food allowance provided for the governor - the people had it hard enough as it was.

19 Remember in my favor, O my God, Everything I've done for these people.