1995 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Nehemiah 5

1 The Jews complain of their debt, mortgage, and bondage. 6 Nehemiah rebuketh the usurers, and causeth them to make a covenant of restitution. 14 He forbeareth his own allowance, and keepeth hospitality.

 5:1 Now there was a great 1419 outcry 6818 of the people 5971a and of their wives 802 against 413 their Jewish 3064 brothers 251.

 5:2 For there 3426 were those who 834 said 559, “We, our sons 1121 and our daughters 1323 are many 7227a; therefore let us get 3947 grain 1715 that we may eat 398 and live 2421a.”

 5:3 There 3426 were others who 834 said 559, “We are mortgaging 6148 our fields 7704, our vineyards 3754 and our houses 1004 that we might get 3947 grain 1715 because of the famine 7458.”

 5:4 Also there 3426 were those who 834 said 559, “We have borrowed 3867b money 3701 for the king’s 4428 tax 4060b [on] our fields 7704 and our vineyards 3754.

 5:5 “Now 6258 our flesh 1320 is like the flesh 1320 of our brothers 251, our children 1121 like their children 1121. Yet behold 2009, we are forcing 3533 our sons 1121 and our daughters 1323 to be slaves 5650, and some 4480 of our daughters 1323 are forced 3533 into bondage 3533 [already], and we are helpless 369 410 3027 because our fields 7704 and vineyards 3754 belong to others 312.”

 5:6 ¶ Then I was very 3966 angry 2734 when 3512c I had heard 8085 their outcry 2201 and these 428 words 1697.

 5:7 I consulted 4427b with myself and contended 7378 with the nobles 2715 and the rulers 5461 and said 559 to them, “You are exacting 5377 usury 4855, each 376 from his brother 251!” Therefore, I held 5414 a great 1419 assembly 6952 against 5921 them.

 5:8 I said 559 to them, “We according to our ability 1767 have redeemed 7069 our Jewish 3064 brothers 251 who were sold 4376 to the nations 1471; now would you even 1571 sell 4376 your brothers 251 that they may be sold 4376 to us?” Then they were silent 2790b and could not find 4672 a word 1697 [to say].

 5:9 Again I said 559, “The thing 1697 which 834 you are doing 6213a is not good 2896a; should you not walk 1980 in the fear 3374 of our God 430 because 4480 of the reproach 2781 of the nations 1471, our enemies 340?

 5:10 “And likewise 1571 I, my brothers 251 and my servants 5288 are lending 5383 them money 3701 and grain 1715. Please 4994, let us leave 5800a off this 2088 usury 4855.

 5:11 “Please 4994, give 7725 back 7725 to them this very day 3117 their fields 7704, their vineyards 3754, their olive 2132 groves 2132 and their houses 1004, also the hundredth 3967 [part] of the money 3701 and of the grain 1715, the new 8492 wine 8492 and the oil 3323 that you are exacting 5383 from them.”

 5:12 Then they said 559, “We will give 7725 [it] back 7725 and will require 1245 nothing 3808 from them; we will do 6213a exactly 3651 as you say 559.” So I called 7121 the priests 3548 and took 7650 an oath 7650 from them that they would do 6213a according to this 2088 promise 1697.

 5:13 I also 1571 shook 5287 out the front 2684 of my garment 2684 and said 559, “Thus 3602 may God 430 shake 5287 out every 3605 man 376 from his house 1004 and from his possessions 3018 who 834 does not fulfill 6965 this 2088 promise 1697; even thus 3602 may he be shaken 5287 out and emptied 7386.” And all 3605 the assembly 6951 said 559, “Amen 543!” And they praised 1984b the LORD 3068. Then the people 5971a did 6213a according to this 2088 promise 1697.

 5:14 ¶ Moreover 1571, from the day 3117 that I was appointed 6680 to be their governor 6346 in the land 776 of Judah 3063, from the twentieth 6242 year 8141 to the thirty-second 7970 8147 year 8141 of King 4428 Artaxerxes 783a, [for] twelve 8147 6240 years 8141, neither 3808 I nor 3808 my kinsmen 251 have eaten 398 the governor’s 6346 food 3899 [allowance].

 5:15 But the former 7223 governors 6346 who 834 were before 6440 me laid 3513 burdens 3513 on the people 5971a and took 3947 from them bread 3899 and wine 3196 besides 310 forty 705 shekels 8255 of silver 3701; even 1571 their servants 5288 domineered 7980 the people 5971a. But I did not do 6213a so 3651 because 4480 6440 of the fear 3374 of God 430.

 5:16 I also 1571 applied 2388 myself to the work 4399 on this 2088 wall 2346; we did not buy 7069 any land 7704, and all 3605 my servants 5288 were gathered 6908 there 8033 for the work 4399.

 5:17 Moreover, [there were] at my table 7979 one hundred 3967 and fifty 2572 Jews 3064 and officials 5461, besides those who came 935 to us from the nations 1471 that were around 5439 us.

 5:18 Now that which 834 was prepared 6213a for each day 3117 was one 259 ox 7794 [and] six 8337a choice 1305 sheep 6629, also birds 6833 were prepared 6213a for me; and once 996 in ten 6235 days 3117 all 3605 sorts of wine 3196 [were furnished] in abundance 7235a. Yet for all this 2088 I did not demand 1245 the governor’s 6346 food 3899 [allowance], because 3588 the servitude 5656 was heavy 3513 on this 2088 people 5971a.

 5:19 Remember 2142 me, O my God 430, for good 2899b, [according to] all 3605 that I have done 6213a for this 2088 people 5971a.