ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Nehemiah 5

5:1–19 Nehemiah Deals with Injustices in the Community; Nehemiah’s Personal Contribution to the Project. Nehemiah takes measures to end the exploitation of the weak in the community by its powerful members, who are ignoring God’s commandments.

Neh. 5:1 The people are the ordinary citizens, not nobles or officials (see v. 7). And of their wives adds to the picture of families made desperate by hunger. Jewish brothers shows the strong bond among all Israelites. By Mosaic law, no Israelite should permanently enslave or take advantage of another (Deut. 15:1–15).

Neh. 5:2–3 let us get grain. Perhaps the men who are working full time on the building project cannot do their usual work to feed their families. Some of them were mortgaging their fields and houses to pay the heavy tax charged by the Persians.

Neh. 5:5 forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves. Temporary debt-slavery (but not permanent chattel-slavery) was permitted in Mosaic law among Israelites. It was often the only way a debt could be paid (see Deut. 15:12).

Neh. 5:7 The nobles and the officials within the Jewish community are accused of oppressing their own people. Oppression of the weak by the strong had been one of the reasons for the exile (see Isa. 5:7–10; Amos 2:6–8). exacting interest. Property might be taken in pledge, pending repayment of a loan. Taking interest from a fellow Israelite who borrowed out of need was forbidden (Deut. 23:19–20).

Neh. 5:8 sold . . . sell . . . sold. In his anger, Nehemiah points out the irony of the Jews being redeemed from exile only to be sold into slavery by their own brothers.

Neh. 5:9 fear of our God. See note on 1:11. taunts. See 4:1–4.

Neh. 5:10 Let us. Nehemiah suggests that he himself has been guilty of this injustice.

Neh. 5:11–12 Return . . . their fields. This commands returning the illegitimately seized interest, but it also seems to order a return of the items pledged to secure the loans. This goes beyond plans for debt-release (Deut. 15:1–11) or jubilee (Leviticus 25), since it is to be done without delay.

Neh. 5:13 shook out the fold. A symbolic action matching the words of the curse that follow. So may God shake out. This type of curse-formula was a way of compelling people to do something. By saying Amen, the whole assembly agreed to the terms of Nehemiah’s curse.

Neh. 5:14 governor. This is the first indication that Nehemiah held this official post in the province of Yehud (Judea), within the larger province of Beyond the River. twentieth . . . to the thirty-second year. 445 to 433 b.c. Nehemiah returned to Susa in 433, and then returned to Jerusalem sometime between 433 and 423. food allowance of the governor. Governors could raise taxes for their own use, but Nehemiah has not done so.

Neh. 5:15 former governors. Nehemiah’s predecessors had used the people to enrich themselves and their servants.

Neh. 5:16 I also persevered. Nehemiah has made himself equal with his fellow Jews, laboring with them and not using his position for gain.

Neh. 5:17–18 At my table seems to refer to Nehemiah’s obligations as governor. Those who came . . . from the nations may have been diplomatic visitors. This heavy burden makes Nehemiah’s self-sacrifice of the food allowance all the more remarkable.

Neh. 5:19 Remember. The first of Nehemiah’s prayers asking God to remember either his deeds or his opponents’ deeds (compare 6:14; 13:29).