1 Now ALev 25:35there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their BDeut 15:7Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us AHag 1:6get grain that we may eat and live.” 3 There were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine.” 4 Also there were those who said, “We have borrowed money AEzra 4:13; 7:24for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5  “Now AGen 37:27our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, BLev 25:39we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and 1Lit there is not the power in our handswe are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

6 Then I was very AEx 11:8angry when I had heard their outcry and these words. 7 I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “AEx 22:25; Lev 25:36; Deut 23:19, 20You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them. 8 I said to them, “We according to our ability ALev 25:48have 1Lit boughtredeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?” Then they were silent and could not find a word to say. 9 Again I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of ANeh 4:4the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10  “And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. 11  “Please, give back to them this very 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 are exacting from them.” 12 Then they said, “We A2 Chr 28:15will give it back and BNeh 10:31will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and CEzra 10:5took an oath from them that they would do according to this 1Lit wordpromise. 13 I AActs 18:6also shook out the 1Lit bosomfront of my garment and said, “Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this 2Lit wordpromise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And BNeh 8:6all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the Loʀᴅ. Then the people did according to this 2Lit wordpromise.

14 Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from ANeh 1:1the twentieth year to the BNeh 13:6thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my 1Lit brotherskinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance. 15 But the former governors who were before me 1Lit made heavylaid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so ANeh 5:9; Job 31:23because of the fear of God. 16 I also 1Or held fastapplied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work. 17 Moreover, A1 Kin 18:19there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us. 18 Now A1 Kin 4:22, 23that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep, also birds were prepared for me; and once in ten days all sorts of wine were furnished in abundance. Yet for all this B2 Thess 3:8I did not demand the governor’s food allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people. 19 ANeh 13:14, 22, 31Remember me, O my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.