Nehemiah 5 NKJV ISV Parallel

◄ Nehemiah 5 ►

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1And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren.

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

2For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.”

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."

3There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.”

3Others were saying, "We're having to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our homes so we can buy grain during this famine."

4There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards.

4Still others were saying "We've borrowed money against our fields and vineyards to pay the king's taxes.

5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands 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."

6And I became very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.

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

7After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said to them, “Each of you is exacting usury from his brother.” So I called a great assembly against them.

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.

8And I said to them, “According to our ability we have redeemed our Jewish brethren who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brethren? Or should they be sold to us?” Then they were silenced and found nothing to say.

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.

9Then I said, “What you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?

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?

10I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury!

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

11Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.”

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."

12So they said, “We will restore it, and will require nothing from them; we will do as you say.” Then I called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.

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.

13Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said, “Amen!” and praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise.

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.

14Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions.

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.

15But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God.

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.

16Indeed, I also continued the work on this wall, and we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work.

16Also, as I continued to work on the wall, we purchased no land, and all of my young men were employed in the work.

17And at my table were one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us.

17I fed 150 Jews and officials every day, not counting those who came from the nations around us.

18Now that which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. Yet in spite of this I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people.

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.

19Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

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

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