1
H1419
And there was a great
H6818
cry
H5971
of the people
H802
and of their wives
H251
against their brethren
H3064
the Jews.
2
H3426
For there were
H559 [H8802]
that said
H1121
, We, our sons
H1323
, and our daughters
H7227
, are many
H3947 [H8799]
: therefore we take up
H1715
grain
H398 [H8799]
for them, that we may eat
H2421 [H8799]
, and live.
3
H3426
Some also there were
H559 [H8802]
that said
H6148 [H8802]
, We have mortgaged
H7704
our lands
H3754
, vineyards
H1004
, and houses
H3947 [H8799]
, that we might buy
H1715
grain
H7458
, because of the famine.
4
H3426
There were
H559 [H8802]
also that said
H3867 [H8804]
, We have borrowed
H3701
money
H4428
for the king's
H4060
tax
H7704
, and that upon our lands
H3754
and vineyards.
5
H1320
Yet now our flesh
H1320
is as the flesh
H251
of our brethren
H1121
, our children
H1121
as their children
H3533 [H8802]
: and, lo, we bring into bondage
H1121
our sons
H1323
and our daughters
H5650
to be servants
H1323
, and some of our daughters
H3426
are
H3533 [H8737]
brought to bondage
H410 H3027
already: neither is it in our power
H312
to redeem them; for other men
H7704
have our lands
H3754
and vineyards.
6
H3966
And I was very
H2734 [H8799]
angry
H8085 [H8804]
when I heard
H2201
their cry
H1697
and these words.
7
H4427 [H8735]
Then I consulted
H3820
with myself
H7378 [H8799]
, and I rebuked
H2715
the nobles
H5461
, and the rulers
H559 [H8799]
, and said
H5378 H5383 H5375 [H8801]
to them, Ye exact
H4855
interest
H376
, every one
H251
of his brother
H5414 [H8799]
. And I set
H1419
a great
H6952
assembly against them.
8
H559 [H8799]
And I said
H1767
to them, We after our ability
H7069 [H8804]
have redeemed
H251
our brethren
H3064
the Jews
H4376 [H8737]
, who were sold
H1471
to the heathen
H4376 [H8799]
; and will ye even sell
H251
your brethren
H4376 [H8738]
? or shall they be sold
H2790 [H8686]
to us? Then they held their peace
H4672 [H8804]
, and found
H1697
nothing to answer.
9
H559 [H8799]
Also I said
H2896
, That is not good
H1697
which
H6213 [H8802]
ye do
H3212 [H8799]
: ought ye not to walk
H3374
in the fear
H430
of our God
H2781
because of the reproach
H1471
of the heathen
H341 [H8802]
our enemies?
10
H251
I likewise, my brethren
H5288
, and my servants
H5383 [H8802]
, might exact
H3701
of them money
H1715
and grain
H5800 [H8799]
: I pray you, let us stop
H4855
charging interest.
11
H7725 [H8685]
Restore
H3117
, I pray you, to them, even this day
H7704
, their lands
H3754
, their vineyards
H2132
, their oliveyards
H1004
, and their houses
H3967
, also the hundredth
H3701
part of the money
H1715
, and of the grain
H8492
, the wine
H3323
, and the oil
H5383 [H8802]
, that ye exact of them.
12
H559 [H8799]
Then said
H7725 [H8686]
they, We will restore
H1245 [H8762]
them, and will require
H6213 [H8799]
nothing of them; so will we do
H559 [H8802]
as thou sayest
H7121 [H8799]
. Then I called
H3548
the priests
H7650 [H8686]
, and took an oath
H6213 [H8800]
of them, that they should do
H1697
according to this promise.
13
H5287 [H8804]
Also I shook
H2684
my lap
H559 [H8799]
, and said
H430
, So God
H5287 [H8762]
shake out
H376
every man
H1004
from his house
H3018
, and from his labour
H6965 [H8686]
, that performeth
H1697
not this promise
H5287 [H8803]
, even thus be he shaken out
H7386
, and emptied
H6951
. And all the congregation
H559 [H8799]
said
H543
, Amen
H1984 [H8762]
, and praised
H3068
the LORD
H5971
. And the people
H6213 [H8799]
did
H1697
according to this promise.
14
H3117
Moreover from the time
H6680 [H8765]
that I was appointed
H6346
to be their governor
H776
in the land
H3063
of Judah
H6242
, from the twentieth
H8141
year
H8147
even to the two
H7970
and thirtieth
H8141
year
H783
of Artaxerxes
H4428
the king
H8147 H6240
, that is, twelve
H8141
years
H251
, I and my brethren
H398 [H8804]
have not eaten
H3899
the bread
H6346
of the governor.
15
H7223
But the former
H6346
governors
H6440
that had been before
H3513 [H8689]
me had laid a burden
H5971
upon the people
H3947 [H8799]
, and had taken
H3899
of them food
H3196
and wine
H310
, besides
H705
forty
H8255
shekels
H3701
of silver
H1571
; yea, even
H5288
their servants
H7980 [H8804]
bore rule
H5971
over the people
H6213 [H8804]
: but so did
H6440
not I, because
H3374
of the fear
H430
of God.
16
H2388 [H8689]
Yea, also I continued
H4399
in the work
H2346
of this wall
H7069 [H8804]
, neither bought
H7704
we any land
H5288
: and all my servants
H6908 [H8803]
were gathered
H4399
there to the work.
17
H7979
Moreover there were at my table
H3967
an hundred
H2572 H376
and fifty
H3064
of the Jews
H5461
and rulers
H935 [H8802]
, besides those that came
H1471
to us from among the heathen
H5439
that were about us.
18
H6213 [H8737]
Now that which was prepared
H3117
for me daily
H259
was one
H7794
ox
H8337
and six
H1305 [H8803]
choice
H6629
sheep
H6833
; also fowls
H6213 [H8738]
were prepared
H6235
for me, and once in ten
H3117
days
H7235 [H8687]
an abundance
H3196
of all sorts of wine
H5973
: yet for all
H1245 [H8765]
this I required
H3899
not the food
H6346
of the governor
H5656
, because the bondage
H3513 [H8804]
was heavy
H5971
upon this people.