Nehemiah 5:10

I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants R.V. And I likewise, my brethren and my servants. We must conclude from this verse that Nehemiah himself lent -on usury" to his countrymen. The words are not, as A.V., -I … and my brethren, &c.", but -I, my brethren, &c." Nehemiah takes the reply out of the mouth of his opponents. He confesses he is himself not free from blame. For -his own kinsfolk and dependants" lent -on usury," and he their head and representative was responsible for them. They may have been generous and forbearing, but they had violated the principle, which he was upholding: and in so far, Nehemiah accepted the blame of his house. Some suppose that Nehemiah in lending did not require a pledge, and thus differed from the regular money-lenders. -Brethren," -servants." See note on Nehemiah 4:23.

might exact of them money and corn R.V. do lend them money and corn on usury. The rendering of the A.V. -might exact" seems to be dictated by the desire to save the honour of Nehemiah and of his house. But the clause does not claim a privilege, but states a fact. By diplomatically accepting the responsibility of a share in the general guilt, he conciliates his hearers and disarms them of a retort. Nevertheless we gather from the clause that it was not so much -usury" as the abuse of usury, the excessive and tyrannical rate of interest exacted from the poor, which excited his indignation against the rich.

I pray you These words render a Hebrew particle adding urgency to the request, without introducing the idea of supplication, cf. Nehemiah 1:5. It might be rendered -Come now, let us leave off, &c."

let us leave off this usury Nehemiah invites his hearers to join with him in abandoning a custom which had been productive of such evil results. -This usury," i.e. requiring of interest or of pledges. LXX. ἀπαίτησιν. Not the lending but the plan of making a gain out of loans to the poor, whether by demanding interest upon loans or seizing the pledge which had been the security for an advance, is condemned.