What was the great cry of the people and their wives in this passage?

The great cry was a loud, public complaint from the poorer Jews and their wives. They were in deep trouble because of famine and heavy taxes. Some had many children and could barely get grain just to stay alive. Others had mortgaged their fields, vineyards, and houses to buy food. Some had borrowed money on their land to pay the king’s tribute. Things were so bad that they had to sell their sons and daughters into bondage and could not buy them back, because others now owned their land and vineyards.

Why were some Jews bringing their sons and daughters into bondage?

Families were forced to bring their children into bondage because of hunger and debt. There was a shortage of food, and the king’s taxes still had to be paid. To survive, people mortgaged their land and borrowed money. When they could not repay, their children were taken as servants. This was especially painful because they knew their children were no different from the children of their wealthy brothers. Yet poverty left them powerless to redeem their sons and daughters, since their land and vineyards now belonged to others.

Why was Nehemiah very angry when he heard the people’s cry?

Nehemiah was very angry because he saw that rich Jews were taking advantage of their own brothers and sisters. The people were already suffering from famine and taxes, yet the nobles and rulers were charging interest and gaining control of their land and even their children. Nehemiah knew this was against God’s ways and against their shared history of being freed from foreign bondage. His anger was not a wild rage but a righteous response that moved him to think carefully, confront the leaders, and call them to fear God and stop oppressing the poor.

What does it mean that the nobles were exacting usury from their brothers?

Exacting usury here means the nobles and rulers were lending to their fellow Jews in a harsh way, charging interest and pressing them so hard that they ended up with the people’s land and even their children as servants. These were not strangers but their own brothers. Instead of showing mercy in a time of famine, they used their power and money to increase their own wealth. Nehemiah says plainly that this was not good and calls them to leave off this usury, restore what they had taken, and walk in the fear of God.

What did Nehemiah command the nobles and rulers to restore?

Nehemiah told the nobles and rulers to restore everything they had taken through their harsh loans. He asked them to give back, that very day, the people’s lands, vineyards, oliveyards, and houses. He also told them to return the hundredth part of the money, grain, wine, and oil that they had been exacting from them. In other words, they were to stop treating their brothers like a profit source, cancel the unfair gains, and make real restitution. Their words of agreement were then sealed with an oath before the priests and the whole assembly.

Why did Nehemiah involve the priests and shake out his lap?

After the nobles and rulers promised to restore what they had taken, Nehemiah called the priests and had the leaders swear an oath to do as they had said. This made their promise public and solemn before God. Then Nehemiah shook out his lap, a symbolic act, and declared that God should shake out anyone who did not keep this promise, emptying him from his house and labor. The people answered “Amen” and praised the Lord. This showed how serious the matter was and warned that breaking the promise would bring God’s judgment, not just human disapproval.

What kind of example did Nehemiah set as governor in this passage?

Nehemiah set an example of self-denial, generosity, and fear of God. For twelve years as governor he and his brothers did not eat the bread of the governor, meaning he did not take the allowances and heavy provisions that former governors had taken from the people. He did not buy land for himself, but stayed focused on the work of the wall. He fed about 150 Jews and rulers at his own table, with an ox, six choice sheep, fowls, and regular supplies of wine, yet he refused to lay these costs on the people, because their bondage was already heavy.

What does Nehemiah’s prayer, “Think upon me, my God, for good,” show about his heart?

Nehemiah’s closing prayer shows that he was not seeking praise from people. He had chosen not to take what he could have claimed as governor, had confronted the powerful over their sin, and had cared for many at his own expense. At the end he simply asks God to remember him for good according to all he had done for the people. This shows a heart that fears God, trusts that God sees hidden faithfulness, and looks to God, not human reward, as the one who finally judges and repays what is done in service to others.

How does this passage speak to how believers should treat the poor today?

This passage calls believers to check whether they are helping or harming those in need. The rich in the story used people’s hunger and debt to gain land and power. Nehemiah exposes this and says it is not good, urging them to fear God, stop harsh interest, and restore what they took. Today this warns against profiting from others’ hardship and ignoring their burden. Instead, it points toward mercy, fair dealing, and even costly generosity, especially from those in leadership or with resources, so that fellow believers are not pushed into deeper bondage.

Neh.5.1

Nehemiah 5:1

KJV

And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed

1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2 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.

3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

5 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.

6 ¶ And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

7 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.

8 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.

9 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?

10 I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

11 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.

12 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.

13 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’s Generosity

14 ¶ 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.

15 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.

16 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.

17 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.

18 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.

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

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