Parallel Bible results for "nehemiah 5"

Nehemiah 5

Third Millennium Bible TMB

1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2 For there were those who said, "We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat and live."

3 There were some also who said, "We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn because of the dearth."

4 There were also those who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already; neither is it in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards."

6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles and the rulers and said unto them, "Ye exact usury, every one from his brother." And I set a great assembly against them.

8 And I said unto them, "We, according to our ability, have redeemed our brethren the Jews who were sold unto the heathen. And will ye even sell your brethren? Or shall they be sold unto us?" Then they held their peace, and found nothing to answer.

9 Also I said, "It is not good what ye do. Ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen, our enemies?

10 I likewise, and my brethren and my servants, might exact from them money and corn; I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

11 Restore, I pray you, to them even this day their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the corn, the wine, and the oil that ye exact from them."

12 Then said they, "We will restore them, and will require nothing of them. So will we do as thou sayest." Then I called the priests and took an oath from them, that they should do according to this promise.

13 Also I shook my lap, and said, "So God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who performeth not this promise; eventhus be he shaken out and emptied." And all the congregation said, "Amen," and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.

14 Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king (that is, twelve years), I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

15 But the former governors who had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yea, even their servants ruled over the people, but so did I not, because of the fear of God.

16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land; and all my servants were gathered thither for the work.

17 Moreover there were at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, besides those who came unto us from among the heathen who are about us.

18 Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days, a store of all sorts of wine; yet for all this I required not the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 Then some of the people, the men and their wives, complained publicly about their Jewish relatives.

2 Some of them said, "We have large families! We need some grain [if we are going] to eat and stay alive."

3 Others said, "We've had to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our homes in order to get some grain because of this famine."

4 Others said, "We've had to borrow money to pay the king's taxes on our fields and vineyards.

5 We have the same flesh and blood as our relatives. Our children are just like theirs. Yet, we have to force our sons and daughters to become slaves. Some of our daughters have already become slaves. But we can't do anything else when our fields and vineyards belong to others."

6 I became furious when I heard their complaint and what they had to say.

7 After thinking it over, I confronted the nobles and the leaders. I told them, "You are charging interest on loans made to your own relatives." I arranged for a large meeting to deal with them.

8 Then I told them, "We have done our best to buy back our Jewish relatives who had been sold to other nations. Now you are selling your Jewish relatives so that we have to buy them back again!" They were unable to say anything.

9 I added, "What you're doing is wrong. Shouldn't you live in the fear of our God to keep our enemies from ridiculing us?

10 My brothers, my servants, and I are lending money and grain to the poor. But we must stop charging them interest.

11 You must return their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their homes today. Also, you must return the interest on the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil you've been charging them."

12 They responded, "We'll return it and not try to get it from them [again]. We'll do what you say." Then I called the priests and made them swear to do what they promised.

13 I brushed off my clothes and said, "In the same way, may God brush off from home and work everyone who refuses to keep this promise. In the same way, may everyone be brushed off and left with nothing." Then the whole congregation said amen and praised the LORD. The people did what they had promised.

14 During the 12 years that I was governor of Judah, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign to the thirty-second year of his reign, my brothers and I never ate any food that was paid for by the governor's food allowance.

15 Those who were governors before me had made life difficult for the people by taking from them food and wine plus one pound of silver. Even the governors' servants took advantage of their power over the people. But I didn't do that, because I feared God.

16 Instead, I put my best effort into the work on this wall, and we bought no land. All my men gathered here for work.

17 I fed 150 Jewish leaders and their people who came to us from the surrounding nations.

18 Preparing one ox and six choice sheep was necessary every day. Poultry was prepared for me. Once every ten days a supply of wine was ordered. Yet, in spite of all this, I never demanded anything from the governor's food allowance, because these people were already carrying a heavy load.

19 Remember me, my God. Consider everything that I have done for these people.