Nehemiah 5
1 The Jews complain of their debt, mortgage, and bondage.
6 Nehemiah rebukes the usurers, and causes them to make a covenant of restitution.
14 He forbears his own allowance, and keeps hospitality.
great outcry <06818 01419> [a great cry.]
fellow <0251> [their brethren.]
sons <01121> [We, our sons.]
must obtain grain <01715 03947> [we take up corn.]
putting up .......... collateral <06148> [mortgaged.]
famine <07458> [because.]
taxes .... king <04060 04428> [the king's tribute.]
flesh ... blood <01320> [our flesh.]
found ... necessary to subject .............. subjected to slavery <03533> [we.]
considered .... carefully <03820 04427> [I consulted with myself. Heb. my heart consulted in me.]
registered a complaint <07378> [I rebuked.]
seizing the collateral <04855 05378> [Ye exact usury.]
called .... great ... assembly <01419 06952 05414> [I set a great assembly.]
<01767> [We after.]
bought <07069> [redeemed.]
fellow ...... sold ........... sell .... countrymen <04376 0251> [sell your.]
sold ........... sell <04376> [shall they.]
silent <02790> [held.]
<02896> [It is not.]
<03212> [walk.]
reproach <02781> [reproach.]
relatives <0251> [I likewise.]
But .... abandon <05800> [I pray you.]
But .... abandon <05800> [leave.]
return <07725> [Restore.]
fields <07704> [their lands.]
interest <03967> [the hundredth.]
This was probably the rate of interest which they obliged their poor debtors to pay each month, which would amount to about 12 per cent. Another author states that this is the lowest rate of interest in Syria: the usual rate is 20; and it is sometimes as high as 30 per cent.
return <07725> [We will restore.]
called <07121> [I called.]
shook out ... garment .......... shake out ....................... shaken out <02684 05287> [I shook my lap.]
So "when the Roman ambassadors entered the senate of Carthage, they had their toga gathered up in their bosom, and said, We carry here peace and war; you may have which you will. The senate answered, You may give which you please. They then shook their toga, and said, We bring you war."--Livy.
God <0430> [So God.]
emptied <07386> [emptied. Heb. empty, or void. Amen.]
praised <01984> [praised.]
people <05971> [the people.]
twentieth <06242> [from the twentieth.]
relatives <0251> [I and my.]
food <03899> [the bread.]
associates ... also <01571 05288> [even their.]
behave <06213> [so did.]
preceded ...................................... due to <06440> [because.]
purchasing <02388> [I continued.]
purchasing <07069> [neither bought.]
associates <05288> [all my.]
dined <07979> [Moreover.]
He kept open house, and entertained all comers; besides having 150 Jews, who had their food constantly at his table, and at his expense.
dined <07979> [at my table.]
150 <03967> [an hundred.]
prepared <06213> [Now that.]
This was food sufficient for more than two hundred men. Bp. Pococke says that the bey of Tunis had daily twelve sheep, with fish and fowls, soups, oranges, eggs, onions, boiled rice, etc., etc. His nobles dined with him; after they had done, the servants sat down; and when they had finished, the poor took what was left. Here the bey's twelve sheep are equal to Nehemiah's one ox and six choice sheep; and probably the mode of living between the two was nearly alike. It is still the practice in the East to calculate the expenses of the table, not by the money paid, but by the provisions consumed by the guests.
require <01245> [required.]
work <05656> [because the bondage.]
remember <02142> [Think.]
done <06213> [according to.]
