New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Nehemiah 5
1
Some men and their wives cried out against their Jewish brothers and sisters.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 5:7
2
Some of them were saying, "We and our sons and daughters have increased our numbers. Now there are many of us. We have to get some grain so we can eat and stay alive."
Reference
Parallel theme
Malachi 2:2
3
Others were saying, "We're being forced to sell our fields, vineyards and homes. We have to do it to buy grain. There isn't enough food for everyone."
4
Still others were saying, "We've had to borrow money. We needed it to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards.
Reference
5
We belong to the same family lines as the rest of our people. Our sons and daughters are as good as theirs. But we've had to sell them off as slaves. Some of our daughters have already been made slaves. But we can't do anything about it. That's because our fields and vineyards now belong to others."
Reference
6
I heard them when they cried out. And I burned with anger when I heard what they were saying.
Reference
7
I thought it over for a while. Then I brought charges against the nobles and officials. I told them, "You are forcing your own people to pay too much interest!" So I called together a large group of people to handle the matter.
Reference
8
I said, "Our Jewish brothers and sisters were sold to other nations. We've done everything we could to buy them back and bring them home. But look at what you are doing! You are actually selling your own people! Now we'll have to buy them back too!" The people kept quiet. They couldn't think of anything to say.
9
So I continued, "What you are doing isn't right. Shouldn't you show respect for our God? Shouldn't you live in a way that will keep our enemies from making fun of us?
Reference
10
"I'm lending the people money and grain. So are my relatives and my men. But you must stop charging too much interest!
11
"Give the people's fields back to them. Give them back their vineyards, olive groves and houses. Do it right away. You have charged them too much. Give everything back to them. Give them back the one percent on the money, grain, fresh wine and olive oil you have charged them."
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 58:6
12
"We'll give it back," they said. "And we won't require anything more from them. We'll do exactly as you say." Then I sent for the priests. I made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 10:5
13
I also shook out my pockets and emptied them. I said, "Some of you might decide not to keep the promise you have made. If that happens, may God shake you out of your house! May he empty you of everything you own! May you be left with nothing at all!" The whole community said, "Amen." They praised the Lord. And the leaders did what they had promised to do.
Reference
14
And that's not all. I was appointed as governor of Judah in the 20th year that Artaxerxes was king of Persia. I remained in that position until his 32nd year. During those 12 years, I and my relatives didn't eat the food that was provided for my table.
Reference
15
But there had been governors before me. They had put a heavy load on the people. They had taken a pound of silver from each of them. They had also taken food and wine from them. Their officials had acted like high and mighty rulers over them. But I have great respect for God. So I didn't act like that.
Reference
Parallel theme
Proverbs 16:6
Matthew 5:47
2 Corinthians 11:9
Psalm 112:1
Psalm 147:11
Proverbs 29:12
2 Corinthians 12:13
References God
Nehemiah 5:9
Isaiah 50:10
Job 31:23
16
Instead, I spent all of my time working on this wall. All of my men were gathered there to work on it too. We didn't receive any land for ourselves.
Reference
17
Many people ate at my table. They included 150 Jews and officials. They also included leaders who came to us from the nations that were around us.
Reference
18
Each day one ox, six of the best sheep and some birds were prepared for me. Every ten days plenty of wine of all kinds was brought in as well. In spite of all that, I never asked for the food that was provided for my table. That's because the people were already paying too many taxes.
Reference
19
You are my God. Please remember me. Show me your favor. Keep in mind everything I've done for these people.
Reference
Good
Nehemiah 13:31
Nehemiah 13:14
Parallel theme
Psalm 106:4
Jeremiah 29:11
Mark 9:41
Matthew 10:42
References God
Nehemiah 13:22
Psalm 40:17
Summary of Nehemiah 5
Nehemiah Chapter 5 shifts the focus from external enemies to a serious internal crisis within the Jewish community. While the people were working together to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, many families were suffering from poverty, famine, taxation, debt, and economic exploitation. Some families needed grain simply to feed their children. Others had mortgaged their fields, vineyards, and houses, while some had borrowed money to pay the Persian king's taxes. The situation had become so severe that some families had placed their sons and daughters into servitude because they could no longer support them.
Nehemiah was deeply disturbed when he heard these complaints. He understood that rebuilding Jerusalem's physical walls meant little if the people themselves were being mistreated by their fellow Jews. After carefully considering the matter, he confronted the nobles and officials who were charging interest and taking advantage of people in financial difficulty. He called a large assembly so the issue could be addressed publicly.
Nehemiah reminded the leaders that the Jewish community had already worked to redeem fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. It was therefore deeply inconsistent for Jews who had been restored from exile to turn around and exploit their own people. He demanded that the leaders return the fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses they had taken and stop charging additional payments.
The leaders agreed. Nehemiah then made them swear an oath before the priests that they would keep their promise. His symbolic act of shaking out his garment emphasized the seriousness of the commitment. The people responded with "Amen", praised God, and carried out the agreement.
The chapter then turns to Nehemiah's own conduct as governor. He explains that previous governors had placed heavy financial burdens on the people by taking food, wine, and money from them. Nehemiah deliberately refused to do this. Although he had the authority to receive the governor's allowance, he chose not to claim it because he feared God and recognized that the people were already carrying a heavy burden.
Nehemiah also personally participated in rebuilding the wall and did not use his position to acquire land for himself. At the same time, he maintained a large household and regularly provided meals for officials and visitors. Even with these responsibilities, he refused to increase the financial pressure on the people.
The chapter presents leadership by example as one of its central themes. Nehemiah did not merely tell others to sacrifice; he sacrificed his own privileges as governor. He understood that good leadership required protecting vulnerable people, correcting injustice, and refusing to use authority for personal enrichment.
The chapter therefore shows that the restoration of Jerusalem involved more than rebuilding stone walls. The community also needed to restore fairness, compassion, responsibility, and trust among its people. Nehemiah recognized that external enemies could threaten the city, but internal injustice could be just as destructive. His response demonstrates that a restored community must have both strong defenses and a strong commitment to justice.
Nehemiah was deeply disturbed when he heard these complaints. He understood that rebuilding Jerusalem's physical walls meant little if the people themselves were being mistreated by their fellow Jews. After carefully considering the matter, he confronted the nobles and officials who were charging interest and taking advantage of people in financial difficulty. He called a large assembly so the issue could be addressed publicly.
Nehemiah reminded the leaders that the Jewish community had already worked to redeem fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. It was therefore deeply inconsistent for Jews who had been restored from exile to turn around and exploit their own people. He demanded that the leaders return the fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses they had taken and stop charging additional payments.
The leaders agreed. Nehemiah then made them swear an oath before the priests that they would keep their promise. His symbolic act of shaking out his garment emphasized the seriousness of the commitment. The people responded with "Amen", praised God, and carried out the agreement.
The chapter then turns to Nehemiah's own conduct as governor. He explains that previous governors had placed heavy financial burdens on the people by taking food, wine, and money from them. Nehemiah deliberately refused to do this. Although he had the authority to receive the governor's allowance, he chose not to claim it because he feared God and recognized that the people were already carrying a heavy burden.
Nehemiah also personally participated in rebuilding the wall and did not use his position to acquire land for himself. At the same time, he maintained a large household and regularly provided meals for officials and visitors. Even with these responsibilities, he refused to increase the financial pressure on the people.
The chapter presents leadership by example as one of its central themes. Nehemiah did not merely tell others to sacrifice; he sacrificed his own privileges as governor. He understood that good leadership required protecting vulnerable people, correcting injustice, and refusing to use authority for personal enrichment.
The chapter therefore shows that the restoration of Jerusalem involved more than rebuilding stone walls. The community also needed to restore fairness, compassion, responsibility, and trust among its people. Nehemiah recognized that external enemies could threaten the city, but internal injustice could be just as destructive. His response demonstrates that a restored community must have both strong defenses and a strong commitment to justice.