Nehemiah 5 ISV NIV Parallel

◄ Nehemiah 5 ►

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

1Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry 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; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain."

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 had to borrow 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."

5Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others."

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

6When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very 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.

7I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, "You are charging your own people interest!" So I called together a large meeting to deal with 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: "As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet, because 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 Gentile enemies?

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

10I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest!

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."

11Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them--one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil."

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 give it back," they said. "And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say." Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to 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, "In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!" At this the whole assembly said, "Amen," and 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.

14Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year--twelve years--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.

15But the earlier governors--those preceding me--placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.

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 work on this wall. All my men were assembled 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.

17Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us 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 poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.

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

19Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.

New International Version (NIV)

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