Nehemiah 5:1-13
THE COMPLAINT OF THE PEOPLE ADJUSTED BY NEHEMIAH... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COMPLAINT OF THE PEOPLE ADJUSTED BY NEHEMIAH... [ Continue Reading ]
And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives, namely, the poorer ones in the nation, AGAINST THEIR BRETHREN, THE JEWS, the richer members of their own nation, who were taking advantage of their poverty.... [ Continue Reading ]
Nor there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore we take up corn for them that we may eat and live. The more exact rendering of this sentence seems to be: We have mortgaged our sons and our daughters that we might buy corn. They had been forced by their creditors to give... [ Continue Reading ]
Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses that we might buy corn because of the dearth. The shortage of food may have been due as well to the excessive rains, Ezra 10:9; Haggai 1:6, as to the fact that the Samaritan adversaries managed to keep so many of them... [ Continue Reading ]
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, the taxes laid upon them by the Persian government, AND THAT UPON OUR LANDS AND VINEYARDS. It was a most deplorable condition of affairs which compelled these poorer members of the congregation to mortgage their children and a... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet, now, our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children, they rightly felt that they had equal rights with their richer neighbors before the Lord; AND, LO, WE BRING INTO BONDAGE OUR SONS AND OUR DAUGHTERS TO BE SERVANTS, practically forced to sell them as slaves, AND SOME... [ Continue Reading ]
And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words, since these conditions were strictly against the Law of Jehovah, Exodus 22:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then I consulted with myself, since his heart was filled with pity for his oppressed brethren, AND I REBUKED THE NOBLES AND THE RULERS, these being the guilty ones in this instance, AND SAID UNTO THEM, YE EXACT USURY, both in taking pledges and in charging interest, EVERY ONE OF HIS BROTHER. AND I S... [ Continue Reading ]
And I said unto them, with great force and emphasis, WE, AFTER OUR ABILITY, HAVE REDEEMED OUR BRETHREN, THE JEWS, by paying ransom-money to free them from bondage in the land of their captivity, WHICH WERE SOLD UNTO THE HEATHEN; AND WILL YE EVEN SELL YOUR BRETHREN, OR SHALL THEY BE SOLD UNTO US? Tha... [ Continue Reading ]
Also I said, It is not good that ye do, there was a second reason which condemned their action. OUGHT YE NOT TO WALK IN THE FEAR OF OUR GOD, in a wholesome awe of His holy presence, BECAUSE OF THE REPROACH OF THE HEATHEN, OUR ENEMIES? If the latter heard of the conditions existing in the midst of th... [ Continue Reading ]
I likewise, and my brethren and my servants, might exact of them money and corn, rather, "And also I, that is, my brethren and my servants, exact of them, by lending them money," members of his own family had been found guilty. I PRAY YOU, LET US LEAVE OF THIS USURY, WHICH WAS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN IN... [ Continue Reading ]
Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive-yards, and their houses, everything that had been taken as security, ALSO THE HUNDREDTH PART OF THE MONEY AND OF THE CORN, THE WINE AND THE OIL, THAT YE EXACT OF THEM, the interest charged them, which amounted to... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said they, overcome by the force of the arguments used by Nehemiah, WE WILL RESTORE THEM, both the pledges and the interest exacted, AND WILL REQUIRE NOTHING OF THEM; SO WILL WE DO AS THOU SAYEST. THEN I CALLED THE PRIESTS, as the representatives of the Lord, AND TOOK AN OATH OF THEM, the pries... [ Continue Reading ]
Also I shook my lap, the bosom of his outer garment, which was used as a pocket, AND SAID, SO GOD SHAKE OUT EVERY MAN FROM HIS HOUSE AND FROM HIS LABOR THAT PERFORMETH NOT THIS PROMISE; EVEN THUS BE HE SHAKEN OUT AND EMPTIED. It was a symbolical act, also used by the Apostle Paul at a later time, Ac... [ Continue Reading ]
Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, Nehemiah interrupting his narrative in order to make this explanation concerning his entire term of office, FROM THE TWENTIETH YEAR EVEN UNTO THE TWO AND THIRTIETH YEAR OF ARTAXERXES THE KING, that is, twelve yea... [ Continue Reading ]
Nehemiah's Fine Example... [ Continue Reading ]
But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, they accepted the salary allowed them by the Persian king, AND HAD TAKEN OF THEM BREAD AND WINE BESIDE FORTY SHEKELS OF SILVER (amounting to about $360 a year, in cash alone, or, according to others, to some $30 a day)... [ Continue Reading ]
Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land, namely, for purposes of speculation; AND ALL MY SERVANTS WERE GATHERED THITHER UNTO THE WORK, they were not excused from building the wall.... [ Continue Reading ]
Moreover, there were at my table, partaking of his hospitality, an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, which made his establishment a very costly one, BESIDE THOSE THAT CAME UNTO US FROM AMONG THE HEATHEN THAT ARE ABOUT US, visitors to whom he freely showed hospitality.... [ Continue Reading ]
: NOW, THAT WHICH WAS PREPARED FOR ME DAILY, being used up in this great household, WAS ONE OX AND SIX CHOICE SHEEP; ALSO FOWLS WERE PREPARED FOR ME AND ONCE IN TEN DAYS STORE OF ALL SORTS OF WINE. YET, FOR ALL THIS, which he might have charged to his salary, REQUIRED NOT I THE BREAD OF THE GOVERNOR... [ Continue Reading ]
Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people, rather, "Remember to me, my God, for all the good which I did upon this people," as a fine example to all Christians whose circumstances permit them to do an unusual amount of good to their fellow-Christians and to a... [ Continue Reading ]