1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
Of course problems from without are the easy ones to deal with. It’s the problems inside a country, family or heart that will bring them down.
2 For there were that said, “We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.”
3 Some also there were that said, “We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.”
Evidently they weren’t having a lot of rain and the poorest of the people were having to borrow money to live on.
4 There were also that said, “We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.”
They were also having to borrow money to pay their taxes.
5 “Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children:…”
“We are just as good as you are. Our children are just as much Jews as the rest of you.”
… and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
“But we are having to sell our children into slavery to pay our bills. And since we have already lost our lands there is no way to avoid it or buy back the ones already sold.”
6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
Anger is not a sin. Selfish anger is, but anger at injustice done to others is Godly.
7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, “Ye exact usury, every one of his brother.” And I set a great assembly against them.
Nehemiah led the people to stand up to the rich who were abusing them.
8 And I said unto them, “We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? Or shall they be sold unto us?” Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
Nehemiah and several others had bought those Israelites who were slaves so they could return to Judah. Now they were being re-enslaved by the rich in Judah. They were charging interest on the loans to the poor; something expressly forbidden in The Law. They couldn’t give an answer to Nehemiah defending their practices.
9 Also I said, “It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?”
Nehemiah couldn’t understand how they could so blatantly sin after all the nation had been through in their punishment from God.
10 “I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.”
Nehemiah points out that he and his buddies could be doing the same thing but had chosen not to. This proves it is possible to be successful (Nehemiah had become governor, after all) without being corrupt.
11 “Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.”
The biblical answer to stealing (which is what this really is) is restoration, not imprisonment. Those who took from the poor through charging interest were to give the land back plus 1% of the money and goods.
12 Then said they, “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou say.” Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
The rich all promised to do what he said.
13 Also I shook my lap, and said, “So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performs not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied.” And all the congregation said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise.
Since pants did not become common clothes, even for men, until horses became cheap enough for everyone to own, these men would have worn robe-like clothes.
14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
Nehemiah lived off of his own property instead of even taking the salary he could rightly have taken as governor.
15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
All public employees should follow Nehemiah’s example. Oh, there is nothing wrong with taking a hard-earned salary. The Law tells us “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn.” (Deuteronomy 25:4, 1 Timothy 5:18, 1 Corinthians 9:9) And Paul tells us that the workman deserves his pay. But many public employees find it much too tempting to use their power to get more than they are worth. Taking more pay from the public than your job is worth in the private sector is stealing.
16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
Nehemiah devoted his whole twelve years to rebuilding the wall.
17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.
He also fed many of the people, especially those that had just immigrated back.
18 Now that which was prepared for me daily 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 required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
Nehemiah understood that the people really couldn’t afford his salary and so determined he would use his own resources to do his job. As a result God blessed him. I imagine any land he had inherited produced quite abundantly.
19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.