Verse
WEB
World English Bible
BSB
Berean Standard Bible
Then
there arose
a great cry
of
the people and of
their wives against their brothers
the
Jews.
About
that
time
there was
a great outcry
from
the people and their wives against their fellow
Jews.
For
there
were that
said
, We ,
our sons and our
daughters ,
are many:
let
us
get grain ,
that
we
may
eat and live
.
Some
were saying
, “
We and
our sons and daughters are numerous.
We
must
get grain in
order
to
eat and stay
alive
. ”
Some
also
there
were that
said
, We are mortgaging our fields, and
our vineyards, and our houses:
let
us
get grain ,
because
of
the dearth
.
Others
were saying
, “
We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes
to
get grain during
the famine
. ”
There
were also
that
said
, We have borrowed money for
the king's
tribute
[
on ]
our fields and our
vineyards.
Still
others
were saying
, “
We have borrowed money to
pay
the king’s
tax
on our fields and vineyards.
Yet
now
our
flesh
is
as
the
flesh
of
our
brothers,
our children as
their children :
and
, behold,
we bring
into
bondage
our sons and our
daughters to be
servants,
and
some of our daughters are brought
into
bondage
[
already ]:
neither
is
it
in
our
power
to help
it;
for
other
men
have
our fields and our
vineyards.
We
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
. ”
I
was
very
angry
when I heard their cry
and these words.
When I heard their outcry
and these complaints,
I
became
extremely
angry,
Then
I
consulted
with
myself,
and contended
with
the nobles and the
rulers
, and
said
to
them
, You exact
usury ,
everyone
of
his
brother.
I held
a great
assembly against them .
and 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
I
said to
them
, We after
our
ability
have redeemed
our brothers the
Jews,
that
were sold to the
nations;
and
would
you even
sell
your brothers, and
should
they be sold to us ?
Then
held
they their
peace
, and
found
never
a
word
.
and
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
.
Also
I said
, The
thing
that
you do
is not good:
ought
you not
to
walk in the fear of our God ,
because
of
the reproach of the
nations
our enemies?
So
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?
I likewise
, my brothers and my servants, do
lend
them
money and grain. Please let us leave
off
this usury.
I, as
well
as
my brothers and my servants, have
been
lending
the
people
money and grain. Please ,
let us stop
this usury.
Please restore to them ,
even
this
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 exact
of
them.
Please 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. ”
Then
said
they,
We will restore them
, and will require nothing of
them ;
so
will
we do ,
even
as you say. Then
I called
the priests ,
and took
an oath of
them,
that they would do according
to
this
promise
.
“
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
.
Also
I shook out my lap,
and said, So
God shake out every
man
from
his house ,
and from
his
labor,
that
doesn't
perform
this promise ;
even
thus
be he
shaken out ,
and emptied.
All
the assembly said, Amen, and praised Yahweh
. The people did according
to
this
promise
.
I 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
.
Moreover
from the time
that
I
was
appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the
twentieth year even
to
the
two
and
thirtieth
year of
Artaxerxes
the
king,
[that
is],
twelve years, I and
my brothers have
not
eaten
the bread
of
the governor.
Furthermore,
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.
But
the former
governors who
were
before me were
chargeable
to
the people, and
took
of
them bread and wine ,
besides
forty shekels of silver ;
yes,
even
their servants bore
rule
over
the people :
but I didn't
do so,
because of the
fear of God.
The 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.
Yes
, also
I continued
in
the work
of this
wall, neither
bought
we
any
land:
and all my servants were gathered there to
the work.
Instead
, 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
.
Moreover
there were at my table, of
the
Jews
and
the
rulers,
one
hundred
fifty
men,
besides those
who
came
to
us
from among
the nations that
were
round
about
us
.
There were 150
Jews
and
officials
at my table, besides the
guests
from the surrounding
nations.
Now
that
which
was
prepared
for
one
day was
one ox and
six choice sheep ;
also
fowls
were prepared for me, and once in
ten days store
of all sorts
of wine :
yet
for
all
this
I didn't
demand the bread
of
the governor, because the bondage
was
heavy
on this
people.
Each
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
.
Remember to
me, my God, for good,
all that I have done for this people.
Remember me favorably
, O
my God, for all that I have done for this people.
Scripture text: World English Bible and Berean Standard Bible. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org.; Public domain; source text distributed by BSB Publishing, LLC..