Now athere was a great outcry
of the people
and of their wives
against
their bJewish
brothers
.
For there were those who
said
, "We, our sons
and our daughters
are many
; therefore let us aget
grain
that we may eat
and live
."
There were others who
said
, "We are mortgaging
our fields
, our vineyards
and our houses
that we might get
grain
because of the famine
."
Also there were those who
said
, "We have borrowed
money
afor the king's
tax
on our fields
and our vineyards
.
"Now aour flesh
is like the flesh
of our brothers
, our children
like their children
. Yet behold
, bwe are forcing
our sons
and our daughters
to be slaves
, and some
of our daughters
are forced
into bondage
already, and 1we are helpless
because our fields
and vineyards
belong to others
."
Then I was very aangry
when
I had heard
their outcry
and these
words
.
I consulted with myself and contended
with the nobles
and the rulers
and said
to them, " aYou are exacting
usury
, each
from his brother
!" Therefore, I held
a great
assembly
against
them.
I said to them, "We according to our ability
ahave 1redeemed
our Jewish
brothers
who were sold
to the nations
; now would you even
sell
your brothers
that they may be sold
to us?" Then they were silent
and could not find
a word
to say.
Again I said, "The thing
which
you are doing
is not good
; should you not walk
in the fear
of our God
because
of athe reproach
of the nations
, our enemies
?
"And likewise I, my brothers
and my servants
are lending
them money
and grain
. Please
, let us leave
off this
usury
.
"Please, give
back
to them this very day
their fields
, their vineyards
, their olive
groves
and their houses
, also the hundredth
part of the money
and of the grain
, the new
wine
and the oil
that you are exacting
from them."
Then they said, "We awill give
it back
and bwill require
nothing
from them; we will do
exactly
as you say
." So I called
the priests
and ctook
an oath
from them that they would do
according to this
1promise
.
I aalso shook
out the 1front
of my garment
and said
, "Thus
may God
shake
out every
man
from his house
and from his possessions
who
does not fulfill
this
2promise
; even thus
may he be shaken
out and emptied
." And ball
the assembly
said
, "Amen
!" And they praised
the LORD
. Then the people
did
according to this
2promise
.
Moreover, from the day
that I was appointed
to be their governor
in the land
of Judah
, from athe twentieth
year
to the bthirty-second
year
of King
Artaxerxes
, for twelve
years
, neither
I nor
my 1kinsmen
have eaten
the governor's
food
allowance.
But the former governors
who
were before
me 1laid
burdens
on the people
and took
from them bread
and wine
besides
forty
shekels
of silver
; even
their servants
domineered
the people
. But I did not do
so
abecause
of the fear
of God
.
I also 1applied
myself to the work
on this
wall
; we did not buy
any land
, and all
my servants
were gathered
there
for the work
.
Moreover, athere were at my table one hundred
and fifty
Jews
and officials
, besides those who came
to us from the nations
that were around
us.
Now athat which was prepared
for each day
was one
ox
and six
choice
sheep
, also birds
were prepared
for me; and once
in ten
days
all
sorts of wine
were furnished in abundance
. Yet for all this
bI did not demand
the governor's
food
allowance, because
the servitude
was heavy
on this
people
.
aRemember me, O my God
, for good
, according to all
that I have done
for this
people
.