Nehemiah 5 ISV BSB Parallel

◄ Nehemiah 5 ►

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Berean Study Bible

1Now the people along with their spouses complained loudly against their fellow Jews,

1About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.

2because certain of them kept claiming, "Since we have so many sons and daughters, we must get some grain so we can eat and survive."

2Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”

3Others were saying, "We're having to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our homes so we can buy grain during this famine."

3Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”

4Still others were saying "We've borrowed money against our fields and vineyards to pay the king's taxes.

4Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.

5Now our bodies are no different than the bodies of our relatives, and our children are like their children. Nevertheless, we're about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already in bondage. It's beyond our power to do anything about it, because our fields and vineyards belong to others."

5We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6I became very livid when I heard their complaining and these charges.

6When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,

7So after thinking it over carefully, I accused the officials and nobles openly, "Every one of you is charging your fellow countrymen interest!" So I opened a public investigation against them.

7and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them

8I accused them, "To the best of our ability, we've been buying back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. Even now you're selling your fellow countrymen, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet and never spoke a word.

8and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.

9So I said, "What you're doing isn't right! Shouldn't you live in the fear of our God to avoid shame from our foreign enemies?

9So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?

10I'm also lending money and grain, as are my fellow-Jews and my servants, but let's not charge interest.

10I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury.

11So today please restore to them their fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and homes, along with the one percent interest charge that you've assessed them on the grain, wine, and oil."

11Please restore to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you have been assessing them.”

12They responded, "We will restore these things, and will assess no interest charges against them. We will do what you are requesting!" So I called the priests and made them take an oath to fulfill this promise.

12“We will restore it,” they replied, “and will require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and required of the nobles and officials an oath that they would do what they had promised.

13I also shook my robes, and said, "May God shake out every man from his house and his possessions who does not keep this promise. May he be emptied out and shaken just like this." All the assembly said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. And the people kept their promise.

13I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of His house and possession every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.

14In addition, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah (that is, during the twelve years from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes), neither I nor my relatives relied on the provisions allotted to the governor.

14Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (twelve years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.

15Nevertheless, the former governors before me placed a heavy burden on the people. They received food and wine, plus a tax of 40 shekels of silver. Even their young men took advantage of the people, but I never did so because I feared God.

15The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people, but I did not do this because of my fear of God.

16Also, as I continued to work on the wall, we purchased no land, and all of my young men were employed in the work.

16Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my servants were gathered there for the work; we did not acquire any land.

17I fed 150 Jews and officials every day, not counting those who came from the nations around us.

17There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations.

18Our daily requirements were one ox and six choice sheep, along with various kinds of poultry prepared for me. Every ten days there was a delivery of an abundant supply of wine. Despite all this, I refused the governor's allotment, because demands on the people were heavy.

18Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was provided. But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.

19"Remember me with favor, my God, for everything I've done for this people."

19Remember me favorably, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.

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