Nehemiah Chapter 5

The Jews complain of debts and service

5:1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.
5:2 For some were that saying, [With] our sons, and our daughters, we are many. Let us take up grain for them, so that we may eat, and live.
5:3 Some also were saying, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy grain, because of the famine.
5:4 There were [some] also saying, We have borrowed money for the king’s tax, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
5:5 Yet now our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our sons like their sons: and, see, we are bringing our sons and our daughters into bondage  to be slaves, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already: There is nothing in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

Nehemiah rebukes money lenders

5:6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
5:7 Then I took counsel from within myself, and I scolded the nobles, and the rulers, and said to them, ya’ll each and every one are lending at interest from his brother. And I held a great assembly against them.
5:8 And I said to them, According our ability have redeemed our brothers the Jews, which were sold to the nations. And will ya’ll sell your brothers? Or shall they be sold to us? Then held they were silent, and didn’t say a word.
5:9 Also I said, The thing ya’ll do is not good. Shouldn’t ya’ll walk in the fear of our El Haiאלהי‎
“Living El” (EL=God) For more info click here because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
5:10 I likewise, and my brothers, and my servants, are lending them money and grain: Please, let us leave off this interest.
5:11 Please, give [it] to them, today, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of their money, and of the grain, the wine, and the oil, that ya’ll have taken from them.
5:12 Then they said , We will return, and will require nothing from them. So will we do as you say. Then I called the priests, and took an oath from them, that they would do according to this promise.
5:13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So may Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise, may he be shaken out this way, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised YAHWEH יְהֹוָה‎
Hebrew Yəhōwā, one vocalization of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH), the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. It is considered one of the seven names of God in Judaism and a form of God’s name in Christianity. Covenant making covenant keeping GOD. For more info click here. And the people did according to this promise.
5:14 And from the time that I was chosen to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty second year of Artaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּא
Artaḥšaśtəʾ, אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא ʾArtaḥšastəʾ, or אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתָּא ʾArtaḥšaśtāʾwas the fifth King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, from 465 to December 424 BC.He was the third son of Xerxes I. In Greek sources he is also surnamed “long-handed” (Ancient Greek: μακρόχειρ Makrókheir; Latin: Longimanus), allegedly because his right hand was longer than his left. For more info click here the king, that is, twelve years, My brothers and I didn’t eat the bread of the governor.
5:15 But the former governors that had been before me were hard on the people, and had taken from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels Shekel or sheqel (Hebrew: שקל, plural Hebrew: שקלים sheqalim or shekels, is an ancient Mesopotamian coin, usually of silver. A shekel was first a unit of weight—very roughly 11 grams (0.35 ozt)—and became currency in ancient Tyre and ancient Carthage and then in ancient Israel under the Maccabees. of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people. But I didn’t, because of the fear of Elohimאֱלֹהִים
romanized: ʾĔlōhīm: [(ʔ)eloˈ(h)im]), the plural of אֱלוֹהַּ‎ (ʾĔlōah), is a Hebrew word meaning “gods”. Although the word is plural, in the Hebrew Bible it most often takes singular verbal or pronominal agreement and refers to a single deity particularly the God of Israel In other verses it refers to the singular gods of other nations or to deities in the plural A name for GOD — God The Creator.
5:16 Yes, I also continued in the work of this wall and all my servants were gathered there to work. And we didn’t buy any land either.
5:17 Moreover at my table [were] one hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came to us from among the nations that are around us.
5:18 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 of all sorts of wine plentifully. And with this I didn’t seek the bread of the governor, because the bondage was hard on these people.
5:19 Think upon me, my El Haiאלהי‎
“Living El” (EL=God) For more info click here, for good, according to all that I have done for these people.