Nehemiah 5

ANd there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives, against their brethren the Jews To wit the great and rich ones who had oppressed their Brethren..

For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters are many Which is in itself a Blessing, but to us is turned into a curse.: therefore we take up corn for them i. e. We are forced by our and their necessities to take up corn, to wit, upon their own unreasonable terms, as is here implied, and plainly expressed in the following Relation. Others, Let us take up, &c. i. e seeing we do the publick work, let provision be made for us and our Children out of the publick stock. But this is no Petition, but a complaint, as will appear., that we may eat, and live.

Some also there were that said, We have morgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth Which might easily happen, both from the multitude of the People now... n & near Ierusalem, and from their building work, which wholly took them up, and kept them from taking care of their own Families, and from the expectation and dread of their Enemies Invasion, which hindred them from going abroad to fetch in Provision, and the People round about from bringing it in to them; or from divers other causes..

There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the kings tribute Which was laid upon them all. See Ezra 4. 13. & 7. 24., and that upon our lands and vineyards.

Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren We are of the same Nature, and Nation, and Religion with them, although they treat us as if we were Beasts or Heathens, forgetting both Humanity and Gods Law, Deut. 15. 7., our children as their children: and lo, we bring into bondage We are compelled to... ell them for our subsistence., our sons and our daughters Which was an evidence of their great necessity, because their daughters were more tender, and weak and unfit for bond service, and more exposed to injuries than their sons., to be servants, and our daughters are brought into bondage, neither is it in our power to redeem them Which we are allowed to do, Exod. 21. 7. but have not wherewith to do it.: for other men have our lands and vineyards.

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

Then I consulted with my self, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother Which was against the plain and positive Law of God. Deut. 23. 19, 20. especially in this time of publick Calamity and Dearth.. And I set a great assembly against them I called a publick Congregation, both of the Rulers and People, the greatest part whereof were free from this guilt, and therefore more impartial Judges of the matter, aud represented it to them, that the offenders might be convinced, and reform this abuse, if not for Fear of God, or Love of their Brethren, yet at least for the publick shame, and the cries of the poor..

And I said unto them, We, after our ability, have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were... old unto the heathen I, and my Brethren, and predecessors, have used our utmost Interest and Power, both with the Kings of Persia, that our Brethren might be redeemed from that bondage into which God had sold them for their... ins; and with particular persons in Babylon, and Persia, and the adjacent parts, whose Bond-slaves the Jews were, and who would not part with them without a price, which we paid for them.; and will ye even... ell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us Do you expect that we should pay you a price for them, as we did to the Babylonians? Or, must we use as much importunity to solicite you for their Redemption, as we did to their Enemies?? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.

Also I said, It is not good i. e. It is a very bad and wicked thing: as this same Phrase is used, Pro. 16. 29. & 17. 26. & 18. 5 & 19. 2. A common Figure, called Meiosis, where more is understood than is expressed. that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies Who are round about you, and observe all your Actions, and will loath and reproach both you for such barbarous usage of your Brethren, and Religion for your sakes: Which if you have any Love or Respect either to God, or to your selves, you will prevent.?

I likewise, and my brethren To wit, in Office; those who are employed with me in the Government of this People., and my servants In my name, and for my use. might exact of them money and corn As a just recompence for our Pains and Care for the publick good; to which we wholly devote our selves, even to the neglect of all our private concerns. But I will not rigorously exact, but do freely remit my own right, which, in those circumstances, it is my duty to do: and therefore you also ought to do so, seeing I lay no burden upon you but what I am willing to bear a part of upon my own Shoulders.: I pray you let us leave off this usury.

Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also Also require not: which is to be supplied out of the next verse, where it is expressed in their answer to, and grant of this desire. the hundredth part Which they required every month for the use of their monies or goods, according to the Custom then used, and afterwards by the Romans. of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.

Then said they, We will restore them To wit, the Lands and Houses., and will require nothing of them For the hundredth part., so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests Either 1. As Delinquents in that kind; or rather as Witnesses; that the Oath being taken before the Priests, who acted in God's Name and stead, the Oath might make the more deep and durable impression upon their consciences. See Numb. 5. 19. 1 King. 1. 8, 31, 32., and took an oath of them Not of the Priests last mentioned, for it does not appear that any of them were guilty, and it is absurd to think that they only were guilty of this extortion, as they must be, if this them belongs to them only; but of all the Persons who were before charged with this crime, v. 3, 4. whether Priests or others, as is evident from the text and from the nature of the thing., that they should do according to this promise.

Also I shook my lap i. e. The lap or extream parts of my garment, which I first folded together and then shook it and scattered it asunder. This was a form of swearing then in use., and said, so God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour i. e. From enjoying what he has got by 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 Not that he continued so long together at Ierusalem, of which see, ch. 2. 6. but that he so long governed Ierusalem by himself when he was present, and in his absence, by a deputy., I and my brethren Either my fellow Officers: or they whom I left in my stead, who as they were to do my work so might have required my rights. have not eaten the bread of the governour i. e. That allowance which by the Laws of God and Nations, and of the King of Persia, the Governours might require for the maintenance of their own dignity and Office and of the publick service..

But the former governours Not Ezra, who was no Governour, but only a Priest sent to teach them and to rectify Church-abuses, nor Zerubbabel, but others between him and Nehemiah, whom he forbears to name, because he designed not to disgrace any Person but only to reform the abuses. that had been before me, were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver Which they required of the people for every day to defray their other expences., yea even their servants bare rule over the people i. e. Ruled them with rigour and cruelty: which fault of the servants is charged upon their Masters, the former Governours, because they did not restrain nor punish them. but so did not I, because of the fear of God Because I feared to break Gods Commands, or to incur his displeasure by such immoderate and unseasonable Oppressions of the People. This he speaks not to commend himself, but rather to diminish his Praise, and to show that this was no heroical Action nor work of Supererogation, to be admired rather than imitated; but only his Duty in that case, which for his own sake he durst not decline; and consequently that it was their Duty also not to relinquish even those rights which in other times and conditions they might lawfully require..

Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall Overseeing, directing, and encouraging the workmen, which was my whole business; and this at my own cost., neither bought we any land Of our poor Brethren, whose necessities gave me abundant opportunity of enriching my self with good bargains. But I durst not build my house upon other mens ruines.: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

Moreover, there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers Not only Jews of the inferiour sort, for whom meaner provisions might suffice, but also their Rulers, such as there were in many places, for whom better provision was fit; who resorted to him upon all occasions, either to pour out their complaints, as here they did; or to give him notice of the Enemies designs; or to receive his orders and directions., besides those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.

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 governour But bore it out of my own Estate: which was very considerable, his Office in the Persian Court being a place of very great profit as well as Honour, and that Profit no doubt continued to him in this his absence from the King. From this great and daily expence it seems more than probable that Nehemiah did not continue here for 12 years together, as some would think, or at least that he did not this all that time, but only during the great and present exigences and distresses of the Jews, which ceased in good part after the Walls were built, and the Hearts of all the Jews revived, and their Enemies dispirited thereby., because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people As I have done thy People good for thy sake, so do me good for thine own sake; for thou art pleased, and hast promised graciously to reward us according to our works, and to mete to men the same measure which they mere to others..