Nehemiah Deals With Strife
1 Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their countrymen the Jews.
1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
1 Now (A)there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their (B)Jewish brothers.
1 There was a widespread outcry from the people and their wives against their Jewish countrymen.
1 Now the people along with their spouses complained loudly against their fellow Jews,
2 Some said: We with our sons and our daughters are a great number. Let us get grain, so that we may have food for our needs.
2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.
2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons and our daughters are many; therefore let us (C)get grain that we may eat and live.”
2 Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.”
2 because certain of them kept claiming, "Since we have so many sons and daughters, we must get some grain so we can eat and survive."
3 There were some who said: We are giving our fields and our vine-gardens and our houses for debt. Let us get grain because we are in need.
3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.
3 There were others who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our houses that we might get grain because of the famine.”
3 Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain during the famine.”(A)
3 Others were saying, "We're having to mortgage our fields, our vineyards, and our homes so we can buy grain during this famine."
4 Yet others said: We have given up our fields and our vine-gardens to get money for the king's taxes.
4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
4 Also there were those who said, “We have borrowed money (D)for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards.
4 Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax(B) on our fields and vineyards.(C)
4 Still others were saying "We've borrowed money against our fields and vineyards to pay the king's taxes.
5 But our flesh is the same as the flesh of our countrymen, and our children as their children. Now we give our sons and daughters into the hands of others, to be their servants. Some of our daughters are servants even now. We have no power to stop this. For other men have our fields and our vine-gardens.
5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.
5 Now (E)our flesh is like the flesh of our brothers, our children like their children. Yet behold, (F)we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters are forced into bondage already, and (a)we are helpless because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
5 We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery.(D) Some of our daughters are already enslaved,(E) but we are powerless(a) because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
5 Now our bodies are no different than the bodies of our relatives, and our children are like their children. Nevertheless, we're about to force our sons and daughters into slavery, and some of our daughters are already in bondage. It's beyond our power to do anything about it, because our fields and vineyards belong to others."
Nehemiah Stops The Rich From Taking Advantage Of The Poor
7 After giving it much thought, I made a protest to the chiefs and the rulers, and said to them: Everyone of you is collecting interest from his brothers. I organized a big meeting of protest.
7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
7 I consulted with myself and contended with the nobles and the rulers and said to them, “(H)You are exacting usury, each from his brother!” Therefore, I held a great assembly against them.
7 After seriously considering the matter, I accused the nobles and officials, saying to them, “Each of you is charging his countrymen interest.”(G) So I called a large assembly against them
7 So after thinking it over carefully, I accused the officials and nobles openly, "Every one of you is charging your fellow countrymen interest!" So I opened a public investigation against them.
8 I said to them: We have given whatever we were able to give, to make our brothers the Jews free. They were servants and prisoners of the nations. Would you now give up your brothers for a price? Are they to become our property? They said nothing. They answered not a word!
8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.
8 I said to them, “We according to our ability (I)have (b)redeemed our Jewish brothers who were sold to the nations; now would you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us?” Then they were silent and could not find a word to say.
8 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.”(H) They remained silent and could not say a word.(I)
8 I accused them, "To the best of our ability, we've been buying back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. Even now you're selling your fellow countrymen, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet and never spoke a word.
9 I said: What you are doing is not good. Is it not necessary for you to walk out of respect for our God, because of the shame the nations put on us?
9 Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
9 Again I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of (J)the reproach of the nations, our enemies?
9 Then I said, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God(J) and not invite the reproach of our foreign enemies?(K)
9 So I said, "What you're doing isn't right! Shouldn't you live in the fear of our God to avoid shame from our foreign enemies?
10 Even I and my servants have been collecting interest (Usury) for the money and the grain we have let them have. So now, let us give this up.
10 I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
10 And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury.
10 Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest.(b)
10 I'm also lending money and grain, as are my fellow-Jews and my servants, but let's not charge interest.
11 Give back to them this very day their fields, their vine-gardens, their olive-gardens, and their houses, as well as a hundredth part of the money and the grain and the wine and the oil that you have taken from them.
11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, 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 exact of them.
11 Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them.”
11 Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage(c) of the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil(L) that you have been assessing them.”
11 So today please restore to them their fields, vineyards, olive orchards, and homes, along with the one percent interest charge that you've assessed them on the grain, wine, and oil."
12 They said: We will give them back, and take nothing for them. We will do as you say. Then I sent for the priests and made them take an oath that they would keep this agreement.
12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.
12 Then they said, “We (K)will give it back and (L)will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and (M)took an oath from them that they would do according to this (c)promise.
12 They responded: “We will return these things and require nothing more from them.(M) We will do as you say.”So I summoned the priests and made everyone take an oath(N) to do this.
12 They responded, "We will restore these things, and will assess no interest charges against them. We will do what you are requesting!"
13 Shaking out the folds of my robe, I said: So, may God send out from his house and his work every man who does not keep this agreement. Even so let him be sent out and made as nothing. All the people said: Amen! They praised Jehovah. The people did as they said.
13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from 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.
13 I (N)also shook out the (d)front of my garment and said, “Thus may God shake out every man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this (e)promise; even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.” And (O)all the assembly said, “Amen!” And they praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this (f)promise.
13 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(O) and have nothing!”The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. Then the people did as they had promised.(P)
13 So I called the priests and made them take an oath to fulfill this promise. I also shook my robes, and said, "May God shake out every man from his house and his possessions who does not keep this promise. May he be emptied out and shaken just like this." All the assembly said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD. And the people kept their promise.
Nehemiah Denies His Allotment
14 From the time when I was made ruler of the people in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year till the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, for twelve years, my servants and I have never taken the food that was the right of the ruler.
14 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, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
14 Moreover, from the day that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from (P)the twentieth year to the (Q)thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, for twelve years, neither I nor my (g)kinsmen have eaten the governor’s food allowance.
14 Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes(Q) appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah—from the twentieth year until his thirty-second year, 12 years(R)—I and my associates never ate from the food allotted to the governor.
14 In addition, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah (that is, during the twelve years from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes), neither I nor my relatives relied on the provisions allotted to the governor.
15 Earlier rulers who came before me made the people responsible for their upkeep, and took from them bread and wine at the rate of forty shekels of silver. Even their servants were lords over the people. But I did not do so, out of reverence for God.
15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
15 But the former governors who were before me (h)laid burdens on the people and took from them bread and wine besides forty shekels of silver; even their servants domineered the people. But I did not do so (R)because of the fear of God.
15 The governors(S) who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking food and wine from them, as well as a pound(d) of silver. Their subordinates also oppressed the people, but I didn’t do this, because of the fear of God.(T)
15 Nevertheless, the former governors before me placed a heavy burden on the people. They received food and wine, plus a tax of 40 shekels of silver. Even their young men took advantage of the people, but I never did so because I feared God.
16 I kept on with the work of this wall. We got no land for ourselves. All my servants helped with the work.
16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
16 I also (i)applied myself to the work on this wall; we did not buy any land, and all my servants were gathered there for the work.
16 Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall,(U) and all my subordinates were gathered there for the work. We didn’t buy any land.(V)
16 Also, as I continued to work on the wall, we purchased no land, and all of my young men were employed in the work.
17 There is more, a hundred and fifty of the Jews and the rulers were guests at my table, in addition to those who came to us from the nations nearby.
17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.
17 Moreover, (S)there were at my table one hundred and fifty Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations that were around us.
17 There were 150 Jews and officials, as well as guests from the surrounding nations at my table.(W)
17 I fed 150 Jews and officials every day, not counting those who came from the nations around us.
18 The food for one day included: one bull and six fat sheep, as well as fowls; and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine. All the same, I did not take the food to which the ruler had a right, because the people were crushed under a hard yoke.
18 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 governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.
18 Now (T)that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six choice sheep, also birds were prepared for me; and once in ten days all sorts of wine were furnished in abundance. Yet for all this (U)I did not demand the governor’s food allowance, because the servitude was heavy on this people.
18 Each(e) day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every 10 days.(X) But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy.
18 Our daily requirements were one ox and six choice sheep, along with various kinds of poultry prepared for me. Every ten days there was a delivery of an abundant supply of wine. Despite all this, I refused the governor's allotment, because demands on the people were heavy.