There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen.
Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.”
Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.”
Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.
After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, “Each of you is charging his countrymen interest.” So I called a large assembly against them
and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back.” They remained silent and could not say a word.
Then I said, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies?
They responded, “We will return these things and require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.”
So I summoned the priests and made everyone take an oath to do this.
I also shook the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake from his house and property everyone who doesn’t keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing! ”
The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. Then the people did as they had promised.
Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah — from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, twelve years — I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor.
Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of this wall, and all my subordinates were gathered there for the work. We didn’t buy any land.
There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table.
Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017, 2020 by Holman Bible Publishers.
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