Nehemiah 5:10-13

Nehemiah and his companions had also lent money and grain to the poor people. But Nehemiah and his companions had not charged the people money for the loans. Nehemiah had obeyed God’s command and he was a good model to the other leaders of the people.

Nehemiah ordered the rich leaders to give back to the poor people their property. He also told the leaders to give back the money that they had charged the poor people for the loans. The leaders agreed to do what Nehemiah had ordered. They promised to give all the property and money back to the poor people.

Nehemiah called the priests. He wanted them to hear the leaders’ promise. Then the leaders would realise that God knew about these promises. And they would be afraid not to do the things that they promised.

But the leaders did do what they had promised to do. And all the people were happy with what their leaders had done.

v14 I was the ruler of the country called *Judah for 12 years. (This was between the 20th and the 32nd years of the rule of King Artaxerxes.) For all this time, my relatives and I refused to accept the special food that the king provided for the ruler. v15 But the previous rulers made heavy demands on the people. They took food and wine. They also took about half a kilo of silver from them. Even the rulers’ assistants made the people feel not important. But, because I respected God, I did not do this. v16 Instead, I continued to work hard on the wall. All my assistants gathered by the wall for the work as well. Neither my assistants nor I bought any fields. v17 In addition, 150 of the *Jews and their officers ate with me. Leaders from the nations round us also ate with me. v18 Each day, the cooks prepared one cow, 6 of the best sheep and some chickens for us to eat. Every 10 days, we received plenty of all kinds of wine. However, I never demanded the food that people usually had to give to the ruler. This was because the people already had to work very hard.

v19 I prayed, ‘Please, God, show your kindness. You know all that I have done for these people.’