Nehemiah 5:1-18
“And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. 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.
Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: 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.” (Nehemiah 5:1-5)
Right in the middle of building the wall a problem arose between the people who were doing the work and some of the leaders, the Jews. In order to build the wall, they had taken time off from their farms and businesses, using their savings to buy food for their families. Though they were donating their time and labor, the rulers and tax collectors were demanding the same amount as those who didn’t do the work.
Some of the wealthy farmers and businessmen “put not their necks to the work of their Lord,” according to Nehemiah 3:5. They saw this as an opportunity to make money. Because there were less people producing food, they were able to raise the prices on food products, forcing some of the workers to borrow money to pay their taxes or feed their families.
These wealthy Jews could loan them the money, often at exorbitant interest rates, then foreclos them when they weren’t able to make the payments, seizing homes and farms, and forcing their families into bond service. They were getting quite rich taking advantage of those who were doing their share for the country, but what they were doing is usually considered just good business today.
“And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. 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. 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 5:6-8)
Nehemiah was very angry that they were taking such advantage of people who were donating the work to build a wall to protect them from their enemies, making slaves of them. They had spent millions of dollars to buy back Jewish slaves from other countries, and now they were buying the same people themselves. Even worse, they were violating God’s command in the process. Leviticus 25:35-39 commanded, “And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant.”
They were not to take advantage of either their own people or outsiders who lived among them when they were in need. If they loaned him money it was to be done interest free, out of respect for the way God had blessed them. If they bought a Jewish person who had been taken as a slave, they were not to keep him as a slave, but as an employee.
“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? I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. 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.” (Nehemiah 5:9-11)
Nehemiah reminded them that it was Judah’s disobedience as a lack of respect for God that had caused the destruction of Jerusalem in the first place. Having authority from the king, Nehemiah had authority to charge everyone for the work they were doing. Instead they should give back the lands and belongings they had taken and refund the percentage of interest and price increase they had collected.
“Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest.
Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise. Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth 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.” (Nehemiah 5:12-13)
When the rulers and business leaders agreed to settle for just getting their money back, Nehemiah assigned the priests the responsibility for enforcing the order. He would depend on God to reveal any noncompliance like a shaking out a piece of clothing to find a grasshopper that jumped on you.
“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.
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.
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. 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. 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.
Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.” (Nehemiah 5:14-18)
For the twelve years Nehemiah served as governor, Nehemiah was able to accomplish everything he needed to do with what Artaxerxes had sent and did not need to raise additional money from the people. All the previous governors had insisted on raising additional revenue, but because of his faith and respect for God, Nehemiah chose not to do so, even though his needs were as great or greater than any of the others. He didn’t want to overburden the people.
Instead of making himself rich, he was trusting God to reward him for what he had done. What a difference from the attitude of most leaders today!
“And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews. 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.
Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: 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.” (Nehemiah 5:1-5)
Right in the middle of building the wall a problem arose between the people who were doing the work and some of the leaders, the Jews. In order to build the wall, they had taken time off from their farms and businesses, using their savings to buy food for their families. Though they were donating their time and labor, the rulers and tax collectors were demanding the same amount as those who didn’t do the work.
Some of the wealthy farmers and businessmen “put not their necks to the work of their Lord,” according to Nehemiah 3:5. They saw this as an opportunity to make money. Because there were less people producing food, they were able to raise the prices on food products, forcing some of the workers to borrow money to pay their taxes or feed their families.
These wealthy Jews could loan them the money, often at exorbitant interest rates, then foreclos them when they weren’t able to make the payments, seizing homes and farms, and forcing their families into bond service. They were getting quite rich taking advantage of those who were doing their share for the country, but what they were doing is usually considered just good business today.
“And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. 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. 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 5:6-8)
Nehemiah was very angry that they were taking such advantage of people who were donating the work to build a wall to protect them from their enemies, making slaves of them. They had spent millions of dollars to buy back Jewish slaves from other countries, and now they were buying the same people themselves. Even worse, they were violating God’s command in the process. Leviticus 25:35-39 commanded, “And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant.”
They were not to take advantage of either their own people or outsiders who lived among them when they were in need. If they loaned him money it was to be done interest free, out of respect for the way God had blessed them. If they bought a Jewish person who had been taken as a slave, they were not to keep him as a slave, but as an employee.
“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? I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury. 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.” (Nehemiah 5:9-11)
Nehemiah reminded them that it was Judah’s disobedience as a lack of respect for God that had caused the destruction of Jerusalem in the first place. Having authority from the king, Nehemiah had authority to charge everyone for the work they were doing. Instead they should give back the lands and belongings they had taken and refund the percentage of interest and price increase they had collected.
“Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest.
Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise. Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth 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.” (Nehemiah 5:12-13)
When the rulers and business leaders agreed to settle for just getting their money back, Nehemiah assigned the priests the responsibility for enforcing the order. He would depend on God to reveal any noncompliance like a shaking out a piece of clothing to find a grasshopper that jumped on you.
“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.
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.
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. 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. 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.
Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.” (Nehemiah 5:14-18)
For the twelve years Nehemiah served as governor, Nehemiah was able to accomplish everything he needed to do with what Artaxerxes had sent and did not need to raise additional money from the people. All the previous governors had insisted on raising additional revenue, but because of his faith and respect for God, Nehemiah chose not to do so, even though his needs were as great or greater than any of the others. He didn’t want to overburden the people.
Instead of making himself rich, he was trusting God to reward him for what he had done. What a difference from the attitude of most leaders today!
No comments:
Post a Comment