Thematic Bible: Oppressions of


Thematic Bible



For you took collateral from your brothers without cause,
stripping off their clothes and leaving them naked.
Verse ConceptsCreditBorrowing, SuretyGuaranteeFalse AccusationsPeople Stripping Peoplelent

They drive away the donkeys owned by the fatherless
and take the widow’s ox as collateral.
Verse ConceptsOxenCreditAbhorGuaranteeOppression, Nature OfOrphansWidowsCreditorsOwning LivestockNot Helping Widows


The fatherless infant is snatched from the breast;
the nursing child of the poor is seized as collateral.
Verse ConceptsBreasts, Nursing MothersDebtorsPitilessnessPitilessness CondemnedNot Helping The PoorTaking Other PeopleMotherhoodPurgatorybaby

Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you're on the way with him, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I assure you: You will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny! / 64 of a daily wage

As you are going with your adversary to the ruler, make an effort to settle with him on the way. Then he won't drag you before the judge, the judge hand you over to the bailiff, and the bailiff throw you into prison. I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last cent."

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." read more.
Still others were saying, "We have borrowed money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards. We and our children are [just] like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless because our fields and vineyards belong to others." I became extremely angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. 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? Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest. Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil that you have been assessing them." 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.

He must return the fruit of his labor without consuming [it]; he doesn't enjoy the profits from his trading. For he oppressed and abandoned the poor; he seized a house he did not build. Because his appetite is never satisfied, he does not escape his desires.

Don't be one of those who enter agreements, who put up security for loans. If you have no money to pay, even your bed will be taken from under you.

"But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him 100 denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, 'Pay what you owe!' "At this, his fellow slave fell down and began begging him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he wasn't willing. On the contrary, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. read more.
When the other slaves saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. "Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And his master got angry and handed him over to the jailers until he could pay everything that was owed. So My heavenly Father will also do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart."




Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He longed to eat his fill from the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any.

“Your father made our yoke difficult. You, therefore, lighten your father’s harsh service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.” Verse ConceptsLeaders, PoliticalMastersWork, And The FallYokesRemoving BurdensLight YokeEasy Burdens

“Your father made our yoke difficult. Therefore, lighten your father’s harsh service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.” Verse ConceptsYokesApproval To Kill Oneself

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.