| 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. |
