Nehemiah 5 10

Nehemiah 5:10 kjv

I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

Nehemiah 5:10 nkjv

I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury!

Nehemiah 5:10 niv

I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest!

Nehemiah 5:10 esv

Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest.

Nehemiah 5:10 nlt

I myself, as well as my brothers and my workers, have been lending the people money and grain, but now let us stop this business of charging interest.

Nehemiah 5 verses

Nehemiah 5 10 Meaning

Nehemiah 5:10 articulates Nehemiah's direct involvement in and commitment to rectifying the severe economic injustice prevalent among the returning Jewish exiles. He declares that he, his kinsmen, and his servants have also been involved in lending money and grain, yet, unlike the oppressors, without exploiting the needy. He then issues a fervent plea for an immediate cessation of the practice of charging interest (usury) to their fellow impoverished Jews. This verse showcases Nehemiah's leadership through personal identification with the challenge and sacrificial example, calling the community to adhere to God's law and compassion.

Nehemiah 5 10 Context

Nehemiah chapter 5 describes a grave internal crisis within the Jewish community during the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls. While working on the wall, many Jews, especially the poor, faced severe hardship due to famine and heavy taxes levied by the Persian king. To survive, they were forced to mortgage their fields, vineyards, and homes to wealthier Jewish brethren. Worse still, some had to sell their children into slavery to repay debts or secure food, enduring the very oppression they had suffered under foreign rule, now at the hands of their own people. This violation of Mosaic Law, which prohibited charging interest to fellow Israelites and encouraged care for the poor, ignited a "great outcry" among the people (Neh 5:1). Nehemiah, upon hearing this, became "very angry" (Neh 5:6) and publicly confronted the nobles and officials responsible. Nehemiah 5:10 marks Nehemiah's personal appeal and example in the midst of this confrontation, as he pushes for an end to the exploitative practice.

Nehemiah 5 10 Word analysis

• "I likewise" (אֲנִ֕י גַּם - ani gam): "I also" or "even I". This phrase indicates Nehemiah's personal identification with the lending activity, but it implicitly distinguishes his approach. He acknowledges participation in the act of lending but emphatically distances himself from the sinful practice of usury. This phrasing establishes Nehemiah as not above the financial system, but distinct in his ethical practice, lending weight to his demand.
• "and my brothers and my servants": Refers to Nehemiah's close family and administrative staff. It demonstrates a corporate ethical standard within his immediate sphere of influence, presenting a unified example of righteous conduct within his household and administration.
• "are lending them" (נֹשִׁ֤ים בָּהֶם֙ - noshîm bâhem): "are extracting debt from them" or "are making demands on them regarding loans." While often translated as "lending," the root "נָשָׁא" (nashah) can carry the nuance of pressing for debt repayment. Here, it indicates their involvement in extending financial aid or arrangements, but the emphasis in context is on the positive, non-usurious nature of their lending.
• "money" (כֶּ֥סֶף - kesep): Literally "silver." Silver coins or quantities of silver served as currency. This signifies liquid assets provided as a loan.
• "and grain" (וְדָגָֽן - wedāgān): Staple food items. Lending grain was crucial for sustenance, especially during famine. Usury on basic necessities like food was particularly grievous as it exploited dire poverty.
• "Please let us stop" (נַעזְבָה - na'azvâh): A hortatory plural verb, "let us leave off" or "let us abandon." It is a plea for collective action and a voluntary cessation of an unjust practice, initiated by Nehemiah's call for unity in righteous action. The root azav (עזב) means to forsake, abandon, or let go.
• "this interest" (אֶת־הַנֶּ֣שֶׁךְ - et-hannashekh): "this usury" or "this bite." The term neshekh (נֶשֶׁךְ) literally means "bite" (as from a snake or creditor). It powerfully conveys the harmful, predatory, and ultimately destructive nature of charging interest, which figuratively "bites" into the debtor's dwindling resources and devours their livelihood. This is a crucial term, indicating not just profit from lending, but exploitative, covenant-breaking interest.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "I likewise and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain": This phrase serves multiple functions. Firstly, it positions Nehemiah as relatable, understanding the practice of lending. Secondly, and critically, it acts as a preemptive defense or a model: "Even we, who are engaged in legitimate lending for necessary transactions, are not doing it in an exploitative manner, nor are we exempting ourselves from the call to forgo interest." It shows sacrificial leadership, willing to give up a legitimate profit source (even if his was previously not interest-bearing, he leads by example in ceasing all questionable financial benefit) for the good of the community.
• "Please let us stop this interest": This is Nehemiah's core appeal. It transforms his personal example into a universal call for action, directing the wealthy Jews to cease their ungodly practice. It emphasizes the communal responsibility to adhere to God's law and relieve the suffering of their brethren, reflecting the core covenantal ideal of solidarity and mutual care within Israel.

Nehemiah 5 10 Bonus section

The prohibition against charging interest (neshekh and tarbit/marbit, increase) to fellow Israelites was foundational to Israel's identity as God's covenant people. Unlike surrounding nations where high interest rates were common, God's law sought to protect the poor and foster solidarity. The core idea was that property and even financial aid were primarily resources for human flourishing within the community, not solely for individual profit. Charging interest on a loan meant to sustain life (like for food or shelter in times of crisis) was considered an attack on the very life and livelihood of a fellow Israelite, seen as part of God's household. Nehemiah's strong stance therefore represents a reassertion of this theological and ethical principle, underscoring that economic practices must align with the kingdom values of justice, mercy, and compassion, rather than the profit motives of the world. It serves as a potent reminder that obedience to God involves not just religious rituals but righteous conduct in all societal dealings, especially concerning the vulnerable.

Nehemiah 5 10 Commentary

Nehemiah 5:10 is pivotal in Nehemiah's ethical reform. It demonstrates a profound commitment to God's law and justice, echoing the Old Testament's strong condemnation of usury among covenant people (Exod 22:25; Lev 25:36-37; Deut 23:19). Nehemiah's "I likewise" statement is not an admission of guilt for practicing usury but a strategic act of leadership by identification and personal sacrifice. He implies that while his family was engaged in legitimate financial transactions, they now, by choice and example, would fully abandon any gain that could even remotely resemble exploitation. The powerful term "neshekh" (interest/usury, meaning "bite") underlines the cruel and devitalizing nature of these loans. Nehemiah is calling for an immediate, collective repentance, demanding that the Jewish leaders prioritize communal well-being and covenant loyalty over personal gain. His actions foreshadow Christian principles of selfless giving (2 Cor 8:9), avoiding greed (1 Tim 6:10), and caring for the vulnerable within the community (Jas 2:15-16).