Nehemiah:5

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* Then there arose 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 ; let us get for them corn , that we may eat and live .' * Some also there were that said : 'We are mortgaging our fields , and our vineyards , and our houses ; let us get corn , because of the dearth .' * There were also that said : 'We have borrowed money for the king 's tribute upon our fields and our 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 into bondage already ; neither is it in our power to help it ; for other men have our fields and our vineyards .' * And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words . * Then I consulted with myself , and contended with the nobles and the rulers , and said unto them : 'Ye lend upon pledge , every one to his brother .' And I held a great assembly against them . * And I said unto them : 'We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews , that sold themselves unto the heathen ; and would ye nevertheless sell your brethren , and should they sell themselves unto us ?' Then held they their peace , and found never a word . * Also I said : 'The thing that ye do is not good ; ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God , because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies ? * And I likewise , my brethren and my servants , have lent them money and corn . I pray you , let us leave off this exaction . * Restore , I pray you , to them , even this day , their fields , their vineyards , their oliveyards , and their houses , also the hundred pieces of silver , and the corn , the wine , and the oil , that ye exact of them .' * Then said they : 'We will restore them , and will require nothing of them ; so will we do , even 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 out 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 . * 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 were before me laid burdens upon the people , and took of them for bread and wine above forty shekels of silver ; yea , even their servants lorded over the people ; but so did not I , because of the fear of God . * Yea , also I set hand to 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 of the Jews and the rulers a hundred and fifty men , beside those that came unto us from among the nations that were round about us . * Now that which was prepared for one day 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 I demanded not the bread of the governor , because the service was heavy upon this people . * Remember unto me , O my God , for good , all that I have done for this people .

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