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Chapter 5 |
| 1 | And there was
a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the
Jews. |
| 2 |
For 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. |
| 3 |
Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and
houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. |
| 4 | There were
also that 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 of
his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. |
| 8 | And I said
unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were
sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be
sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
|
| 9 | Also I said, It is not good that 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 of 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 of 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 of 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 labour, that performeth not
this promise, even thus 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
that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them
bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare
rule over the people: but so did not I, 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 unto the work. |
| 17 | Moreover
there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside
those that came unto us from among the heathen that 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 store of all sorts of wine:
yet for all this required not I 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. |
