NET Bible
"Even I and my relatives and my associates are lending them money and grain. But let us abandon this practice of seizing collateral!"
— Nehemiah 5:10, NET Bible
“I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.”
“And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, do lend them money and grain. I pray you, let us leave off this usury. ”
“I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.”
“Both I and my brethren, and my servants, have lent money and corn to many: let us all agree not to call for it again; let us forgive the debt that is owing to us.”
“Even I and my servants have been taking interest for the money and the grain we have let them have. So now, let us give up this thing.”
“I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.”
I considered these things carefully and then registered a complaint with the wealthy and the officials. I said to them,“Each one of you is seizing the collateral from your own countrymen!” Because of them I called for a great public assembly.
I said to them,“To the extent possible we have bought back our fellow Jews who had been sold to the Gentiles. But now you yourselves want to sell your own countrymen, so that we can then buy them back!” They were utterly silent, and could find nothing to say.
Then I said,“The thing that you are doing is wrong! Should you not conduct yourselves in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies?
Even I and my relatives and my associates are lending them money and grain. But let us abandon this practice of seizing collateral!
This very day return to them their fields, their vineyards, their olive trees, and their houses, along with the interest that you are exacting from them on the money, the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil.”
They replied,“We will return these things, and we will no longer demand anything from them. We will do just as you say.” Then I called the priests and made the wealthy and the officials swear to do what had been promised.
I also shook out my garment, and I said,“In this way may God shake out from his house and his property every person who does not carry out this matter. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!” All the assembly replied,“So be it!” and they praised the LORD. Then the people did as they had promised.