Nehemiah:5

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* And there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews . * And there were some that said , Our sons , and our daughters , ourselves are many ; and we must buy corn , that we may eat , and live . * And others there were that said , We must pledge our fields , our vineyards , and our houses , that we may buy corn , in the famine . * And others there were that said , We have borrowed money for the king ’s tax on our fields and vineyards . * Yet now our flesh is like the flesh of our brethren , our children are like their children : and , lo , we must force our sons and our daughters to become servants , and some of our daughters are forced , and our hand is powerless ; and our fields and our vineyards belong to others . * And it displeased me greatly when I heard their complaint and these words . * Then did I consult with my heart , and I upbraided the nobles , and the rulers , and said unto them , "Ye exact usury , every one of his brother !" And I brought together a great assembly against them . * And I said unto them , We have indeed ransomed our brethren the Jews , who had been sold unto the various nations , as far as our means went : and will ye yourselves even sell your brethren , so that they will be sold again unto us ? And they remained silent , and found no answer . * Then said I , The thing is not good which ye are doing : ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God , because of the taunting of the nations , our enemies ? * And also I , my brothers , and my young men , have lent them money and corn : I pray you , let us relinquish this loan . * Give back to them , I pray you , even this day , their fields , 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 have lent them . * Then said they , We will give back , and of them will we require nothing : so will we do as thou sayest . Then I called the priests , and made them swear , that they would do in accordance with this promise . * Also my lap did I shake out , and said , So may God shake out every man that performeth not this promise , from his house and of his toil –gotten wealth , and so let him remain shaken out , and empty . And all the assembly said , Amen , and they praised the Lord . And the people did according to this promise . * Moreover from the day that had enjoined on me to be governor in the land of Judah , from the twentieth year up to the two and thirtieth year of king Artaxerxes , twelve years , neither I nor my brothers ate the food of the governor . * But the former governors that had been before me had made it heavy for the people , and had taken of them bread and wine , beside forty shekels of silver : yea , even their young men ruled over the people ; but I myself did not act so , because of the fear of God . * And in the work of this wall also did I labor actively ; and we bought not any fields ; and all my young men were assembled there by the work . * Moreover of the Jews and rulers , one hundred and fifty men , besides those that came unto us from the nations that are about us , at my table . * And that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep ; also birds were prepared for me , and once in ten days all sorts of wine in abundance : yet with all this I required not the food of the governor ; because the service lay heavily upon this people . * Remember for me , my God , for good , all that I have done for this people .

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