How Much Can We Bear?
How Much?
1. there was a great cry of the people … against their brethren—Such a crisis in the condition of the Jews in Jerusalem—fatigued with hard labor and harassed by the machinations of restless enemies, the majority of them poor, and the bright visions which hope had painted of pure happiness on their return to the land of their fathers being unrealized—must have been very trying to their faith and patience. But, in addition to these vexatious oppressions, many began to sink under a new and more grievous evil. The poor made loud complaints against the rich for taking advantage of their necessities, and grinding them by usurious exactions. Many of them had, in consequence of these oppressions, been driven to such extremities that they had to mortgage their lands and houses to enable them to pay the taxes to the Persian government, and ultimately even to sell their children for slaves to procure the means of subsistence. The condition of the poorer inhabitants was indeed deplorable; for, besides the deficient harvests caused by the great rains (Ezr 10:9; also Hag 1:6–11), a dearth was now threatened by the enemy keeping such a multitude pent up in the city, and preventing the country people bringing in provisions.
5:5 to be slaves In the ancient Near East, individuals sold themselves or their children into the service of a creditor to pay off debts, a practice known as debt slavery. Old Testament law stipulates that debt slaves would be released from their duties when the debt was paid off or at the seventh year (Exod 21:2; Deut 15:12). Leviticus orders the release of debt slaves at the Year of Jubilee (Lev 25:39–41).
5:6 I was very angry This conflict posed a threat not only to the rebuilding project but to the unity of the community of returned exiles. Societal mistreatment originally tore the nation apart when Jeroboam led the 10 northern tribes to secede from the rule of Rehoboam (1 Kgs 12).
Economic Oppression (5:1–19). Internal dissent threatened the building project as much as the threat of war. The absence of food caused the poorer Jews to mortgage their homes and even sell their children into servitude in order to pay indebtedness. They complained that their oppressive creditors were fellow Jews. Nehemiah convened a hearing and charged the creditors with exacting usury (see Deut. 23:19–20). He considered their actions a reproach in the eyes of their Gentile enemies since the community was already struggling to buy back enslaved Jews from the Gentiles. Nehemiah acknowledged he had made loans but not unfairly. The guilty agreed to return the confiscated possessions.
This incident led Nehemiah to defend his conduct during the twelve years of his term as governor. Unlike his predecessors, he did not govern out of greed but placed the building of the wall above his personal interests. By sharing his wealth with many on a daily basis, he set an example for the people.
This is a sad chapter, for in it we see the Jews selfishly preying upon one another. No building is recorded in this chapter. There were great economic burdens upon the Jews, not only because of the famine (Hag. 1:7–11), but also because of the taxes and tributes. The Jews were being robbed by their own people through mortgages and servitude. How did Nehemiah act in this crisis? First, he was angry (v. 6) because his people were so spiritually backslidden as to rob one another. He saw it not as an economic problem, but as a spiritual problem. He consulted with his own heart (v. 7) and certainly prayed to God for wisdom. Then he rebuked the people (vv. 7–11), reminding them of God’s goodness to their nation. “We have been set free by the Lord,” he argued; “will you now put one another in bondage again?” He appealed to the OT Law as he commanded them to restore their ill-gotten profits (Ex. 22:25). How the enemy enjoyed seeing the Jews rob one another (v. 9)! Note that Nehemiah also appealed to his own good example as a leader (v. 10). The people vowed to obey the Word—and they did!
V 1–6: ABUSE Some nobles have abused their fellow Jews by charging them usury on the mortgage of their lands and vineyards. The poorer people need to mortgage these to buy food. Also, the poor people borrow money to pay the king’s tax and are forced by these selfish nobles to sell their children into slavery in order to have the money to pay those taxes. They have insufficient money to redeem either their property or their children. Nehemiah, quite rightly, is angry when he hears of their terrible plight and the abuse of the poor by their rich countrymen. V 7–11: ASSEMBLY Nehemiah grasps the nettle and calls everyone to assemble together. He confronts and accuses the nobles and exposes the wicked system. He reminds them that they need to walk in the fear of God and be an example to the nations around. He also tells them that he and others are lending money and food to the afflicted Jews. He insists that they stop the usury and restore the mortgaged property to the exploited poor. They must also repay the money and goods paid by the exploited people as interest. V 12–13: ACTION The nobles confirm that they will restore it and require nothing from the people. They will do what Nehemiah says. Nehemiah cements this by demanding that the priests take an oath from them, and tells them that God will shake them out from their property if they do not keep their promise. The assembly say ‘Amen’ and they praise the LORD. The promise is made, the agreement is struck and the problem is solved. V 14–18: ABUNDANCE Nehemiah the governor has a right to huge provisions, mainly for giving hospitality but also to benefit his family and himself. However, he has not benefited from this personally for twelve years, unlike the former governors. He works on the wall and feeds many people, without demanding his governor’s provisions, because his people are in heavy bondage. His abundance is not abused, but used to bless others. V 19: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Nehemiah asks God to acknowledge his efforts for the people. This is not self-righteousness but the committing of everything he has and does to God.
The heavy time constraints caused by building and guarding the wall around Jerusalem had the practical and predictable additional result that the workers had no time to tend to their own crops and their financial affairs. Those who had sown the grain had no time to reap it, so some even had to borrow against the value of their property in order to buy food. Verse 3 mentions a famine, so their diverted attention may have been compounded by a lack of the rain needed for a good yield (which, presumably, the women could have harvested). Of course, the famine might have been caused by sheer inattention due to working on the wall. Either way, the farmers among the returnees were suffering while moneylenders among them were compounding problems by foreclosing on their property. Complicating their poverty was the severity of the Persian king’s taxes, specifically mentioned in Nehemiah 5:4.
The complaint of the poor was not based on an appeal for a handout or even for fair business practices, but on belonging to a shared humanity and community. “Our flesh is the same as that of our kindred,” and “our children are the same [i.e., just as important] as their children” (v. 5). Family counts; community counts. As John Donne observed, “no man is an island, entire of itself.” It is easy to claim that one is a self-made person, although no one is. Some people do, however, refuse to recognize their interdependence with other people. In this case, some returnees seem to have wanted to foreclose on the property of other returnees.
Thus, the moneylenders stood to benefit one way or the other from the unpaid work of the builders. Since, moreover, those lenders lived or conducted business in Jerusalem itself and/or in other ways benefited from the rebuilding of the wall, their demands for timely payment during that crisis were at best two-faced. Regardless, their actions offer a study of finance, interest, ethics, and the overall best interests of Jerusalemite/Yehudian society as a whole and a perspective on the abuse of power against some of God’s people in their society. If the charging of interest itself is necessary for the business of loaning money, concern for others, a sense of fairness, and at times even good business practices might limit the rate of interest charged. In that or any society, family members, friends, and persons wishing to help others might loan money at no interest. Here, however, the practice of the lenders amounted to charging interest on persons taking on debt to benefit themselves and the moneylenders as well. [Interest and Usury in the Old Testament]
Selfishness is defined as having the attitude that people exist merely to meet my agenda, my wishes, and my needs; therefore, the value of anything (people, church, God, etc.), is determined only in light of what they do for me. This attitude is revealed not only in outward behavior but also in secret thought and, left unchecked, is ultimately destructive. Selfishness destroys friendships, marriages, ministries, and churches; it also destroys mission fields and other “sacred building projects” where God is clearly at work.
From the very first church in Jerusalem to the church in Corinth to the Church today, the greatest threat to the testimony and advancement of Christianity may very well be Christians. The Ephesian church also struggled with this problem, so Paul dedicated nearly an entire chapter to exhort them to simply get along and love one another. He pleaded with them to lay aside falsehood:
Speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger; and do not give the devil an opportunity (Ephesians 4:25–27).
These verses warn us that the devil is watching. He longs for this kind of selfish activity. To him it is a wonderful opportunity. He baits his hook with selfish advice: “Don’t think about others, think only of yourself—your desires, your life, your money, your plans, your career, your retirement. Repeat after me” he says, “me, myself, and I … me, myself, and I!”
Paul’s admonition to the Ephesian church included the command,
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice (Ephesians 4:29–31).
The implication was that Ephesian believers were involved in bitter disputes that included wrath, anger, and slander. Paul then instructed them as to the acceptable behavior of Christians:
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32).
These verses don’t leave room for secret thoughts of selfishness, much less outward deeds of it.
Consider the fact that the very first sin came on the heels of the serpent telling Eve, in effect, “Think about yourself, Eve. This is something you want; if God really wanted to meet your needs, He’d let you have your way.”
Thomas Merton was right when he wrote, “To consider people and events and situations only in the light of their effect upon you is to live on the doorstep of hell.” There was a problem in Ephesus, Galatia, and Jerusalem. Today, there is a problem in Kenya, in England, in Syria, in America … in my town and in yours!
No believer, church, or country is exempt from it. We are all terminally infected with selfishness, and it lies at the core of every one of our sinful acts. That’s why selfishness is such a productive and powerful weapon in Satan’s arsenal. He will use it against us whenever he can. It must be dealt with and it must be battled against or it will destroy us all.
External opposition is not the only threat to the success of Nehemiah’s task. Tensions between Jews also jeopardize the unity necessary to complete the project. Famine has produced a crisis by forcing poor Jews to give their children as slave-pledges against debt and by requiring landowners to mortgage their property to get food. As the poor become poorer, they must borrow to pay their taxes to the Persian government. Worst of all, the creditors are Jews themselves.
Though Mosaic law permitted short-term debt-slavery (more properly, servanthood; Lev. 25:39ff.) and the temporary sale of property to fellow countrymen as payment for debt, the Law also provided for the redemption of slaves (v. 8) and set forth regular times of release and the return of property (cf. Exod. 21:2–11; Leviticus 25; Deut. 15:1–18). Publicly, Nehemiah now calls on the more economically fortunate among the postexilic community to follow the spirit of the Law by forgiving all debts, returning all property to its original owner, and freeing all slaves. The creditors consent, and Nehemiah puts the priests under a representative oath to bind the agreement.
Verses 14–19 comprise the first of Nehemiah’s “Remember me” prayers (cf. 6:14; 13:14, 22, 29, 31). The verses outline the good example set by Nehemiah regarding sacrificial generosity toward the Jewish community—a policy he follows during his entire 12-year tenure as governor of Judah (v. 14). Not only does Nehemiah refuse the locally tax-funded food allowance to which he is entitled as an official of the Persian government (40 shekels—about 1 pound—of silver per day), but he also shares his daily dinner with a small army of friends and countrymen. He shows leadership in the trenches to boot by getting his hands dirty with the work (v. 16).
Ver. 1. And there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives, &c.] Those of the poorer sort: against their brethren the Jews; the rich that oppressed them; and this cry or complaint was made to Nehemiah for redress.
Ver. 2. For there were that said, we, our sons, and our daughters, are many, &c.] Not that they complained of the number of their children, for a numerous offspring was always reckoned a blessing with the Jews; but this they observed to shew that their families, being large, required a considerable quantity of food to support them: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat and live; that is, they were obliged to take it at an exorbitant price, which is the thing complained of; or otherwise they must starve, the rich taking the advantage of their poverty and present dearth.
Ver. 3. Some also there were that said, we have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, &c.] Made them over to others, put them into their hands as pledges for money received of them: that we may buy corn; for the support of their families: because of the dearth; or famine; which might be occasioned by their enemies lying in wait and intercepting all provisions that might be brought to them; for this seems not to be the famine spoken of in Hagg. 1:10, 11. for that was some years before this, and for a reason which now was not.
Ver. 4. There were also that said, &c.] Who though they were able to buy corn for their families without mortgaging their estates: yet, say they, we have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards; for though the priests, Levites, and Nethinim, were exempted from it, yet not the people in common; and some of these were so poor, that they could not pay it without borrowing upon their estates, and giving large usury for it, see Ezra 6:8 and 7:24.
Ver. 5. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, &c.] We are of the same nature, nation, stock, and religion: our children as their children; are circumcised as they, and have a right to the same privileges in church and state: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and daughters to be servants; shall be obliged to it, unless relieved: and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already; sold to be servants, as they might in case of the poverty of parents, Exod. 21:7, and some were sometimes taken to be bondmen in payment of their parents’ debts, 2 Kings 4:1. neither is it in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards; as pledges for money borrowed.
Ver. 6. And I was very angry when I heard their cry, and these words.] Their complaint expressed in this manner; it not only raised pity and compassion in his breast towards these poor distressed people, but indignation at the rich that, oppressed them.
Ver. 7. Then I consulted with myself, &c.] What was to be done, what method to be taken to redress such grievances: and I rebuked the nobles and the rulers; who were the men that monopolized the corn in this dear season, and sold it at an extravagant price, and had got the lands, vineyards, and houses of the poor mortgaged to them, and to whom they had lent money on usury: and said unto them, you exact usury every one of his brother; which was contrary to the express law of God, Exod. 22:25 and which even the Indians strictly observed, who neither let out money, nor took any upon usury: and I set a great assembly against them; either of the poor that were oppressed, who brought in their accusations and complaints against them, or a large body of the people, who were not guilty, to hear them, that the delinquents might be put to public shame; or he called a large court of judicature, and set them to examine these allegations, and to do justice.
Ver. 8. And I said unto them, &c.] The nobles, and rulers, and other rich persons that exacted usury of the poor: we after our ability; speaking of himself in the plural number, which now obtained in the court of Persia; or of Zerubbabel, Ezra, and others, who, according as their worldly circumstances, having been captives, would admit of: have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the Heathen; not that they had given a ransom for them to Cyrus, or any other king of Persia, which would be contrary to the prophecies concerning their redemption, Isa. 45:13 and 52:3. but such who had sold themselves to particular persons in Babylon, who, without being redeemed, could not take the advantage of the liberty granted by Cyrus, and his successors; and it may be there were others also in the like circumstances, in other neighbouring nations, that had been redeemed this way. The Jewish canon now is, he that sells himself, and his children, to Gentiles, they don’t redeem; but they redeem the children after their father’s death; which the commentatorsk explain of the third time that he sells himself: and will you even sell your brethren? their lands and vineyards mortgaged to them, and even their persons: or shall they be sold unto us? must we be obliged to buy them, and to redeem them: then they held their peace, and found nothing to answer; being convinced they had done wrong, by the arguments used, to which they could make no reply.
Ver. 9. Also I said, it is not good that ye do, &c.] The meaning is, that it was very bad; it is a meiosis, by which more is intended than is expressed: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God; in reverence of him and his law, and according to that: because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies? whose mouths will be open to reproach the true religion, and the good ways of God; and say, these are the men that pretend to fear God, and serve him, and yet break his law, and use their brethren ill, see Rom. 2:24.
Ver. 10. I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn, &c.] For our maintenance, in consideration of the services done by us, which would appear but reasonable, but this we decline for the sake of easing our poor brethren: I pray you let us leave off this usury; and not exact it, as has been too much and too long used.
Ver. 11. Restore, I pray you, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, &c.] Which they had made over to them for corn they had had, or money they borrowed of them; it is entreated that an immediate restitution be made, and the rather, if what Aben Ezra observes is true, that this was the year of release, when debts were not to be exacted, but forgiven, Deut. 15:1, 2, 3. also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them; the hundredth part of the money might be what they took for usury, as the Romans did in after-times, even so much a month; so that if the loan was 100 pounds, a pound was given every month for it, and so 12 pounds in the year; and the hundredth part of the corn, wine, and oil, might be the hundredth part of those fruits of the earth, which the rulers demanded for their salary, see ver. 15.
Ver. 12. Then said they, we will restore them, &c.] The lands, vineyards, olive-yards, and houses: and will require nothing of them; not the hundredth part of the fruits of the earth by way of salary: so will we do as thou sayest; they approved of his proposal, and readily agreed to it: then I called the priests, and took an oath of them that they should do according to this promise; not that the priests were delinquents, they were not charged with any thing of this kind, nor were they the men that promised restitution; but the priests were called to administer the oath to the nobles, and rulers, and rich men, to oblige them the more to keep their word; an oath being sacred, priests in an holy office were made use of to give it, that it might be the more solemn, and the more strictly regarded.
Ver. 13. Also I shook my lap, &c.] The fore skirts of his garment, shaking the dust out of them, as a symbol of what follows; a like rite was used in the case of peace and war, the choice of either, by the Romans, as proposed by their ambassadors to the Carthaginians, as having either in their bosom to shake out: and said, so God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour; what he has got by his labour: that performeth not his promise; confirmed by an oath: even thus be he shaken out, and emptied; of all that he has in the world, and out of the world too, as Jarchi adds: and all the congregation said, Amen; so let it be, even those that had taken pledges and usury, as well as others: and praised the Lord; that had given them such a governor to direct, advise, and exhort them to their duty, and had inclined their hearts to attend thereunto: and the people did according to this promise; they punctually kept it, and the oath they had sworn.
Ver. 14. Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governer in the land of Judah, &c.] That is, by the king of Persia, which was not done when he was first sent into Judea; but very probably when he had finished the wall in 52 days, he returned to Persia, and gave the king an account of his success, and how things stood in those parts, when he judged it necessary to send him again in the character of a governor, and which was still within the same year, as follows: from the 20th year, even unto the 32d year of Artaxerxes, that is, 12 years; see ch. 13:6. I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor; which was fit and proper for him, and used to be given him; neither he, nor those that assisted him in the government, the principal men he brought along with him, and put into posts and places under him.
Ver. 15. But the former governors, that had been before me, were chargeable to the people, &c.] Between him and Zerubbabel, for Ezra was no governor; according to the Jewish chronology, when Ezra came to Jerusalem, Zerubbabel returned to Babylon, and there died, and his son Methullam was in his stead, and after him succeeded Hananiah his son: and had taken of them bread and wine, besides 40 shekels of silver; which amounted to between four and five pounds, and this they had every day: yea, even their servants bare rule over the people; required a salary, or at least perquisites of them, which the governors connived at: but so did not I, because of the fear of God; neither took any thing himself of the people, nor suffered his servants; because the fear of God was upon his heart, and before his eyes, and therefore could not allow himself to oppress the poor.
While Nehemiah was preoccupied with outside opposition, it seems that an internal problem had developed which was was socio-economic in nature and which also revealed wrong dealings and injustice. Four different groups of people made up this situation. First, there were those who did not own land, yet needed food. The second group had difficulty feeding their families even though they owned property. The need was so overwhelming that these had mortgaged their homes and fields to buy food. The third group had borrowed money to pay the royal tax, and were unable to repay because of the exorbitant interest charges. The fourth group was made up of wealthy Jews who were exploiting their Jewish brothers and sisters by “taking their land and children for collateral (Lev. 25:39–40). Jewish parents had been forced to choose between starvation or servitude for their children!” The Jews had disobeyed the spirit of God’s Law which always made provision for the poor (Lev. 25), and now the sin of injustice had been revealed and brought to Nehemiah’s attention. How would he react?