1Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews. 2For there were some who said, “We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live.” 3There were also some who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine.” 4There were also some who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral. 5Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold, we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards.”
6I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. 7Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, “You exact usury, everyone of his brother.” I held a great assembly against them. 8I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say. 9Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury. 11Please restore to them, even today, 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 charging them.”
12Then they said, “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them. We will do so, even as you say.”
Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise. 13Also I shook out my lap, and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise; even may he be shaken out and emptied like this.”
All the assembly said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh. The people did according to this promise.
14Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brothers have not eaten the bread of the governor. 15But the former governors who were before me were supported by the people, and took bread and wine from them, plus forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants ruled over the people, but I didn’t do so, because of the fear of God. 16Yes, I also continued in the work of this wall. We didn’t buy any land. All my servants were gathered there to the work. 17Moreover there were at my table, of the Jews and the rulers, one hundred fifty men, in addition to those who came to us from among the nations that were around us. 18Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days a store of all sorts of wine. Yet for all this, I didn’t demand the governor’s pay, because the bondage was heavy on this people. 19Remember me, my God, for all the good that I have done for this people.
Knowing the story of the people of God you will not be surprised when you find out that along the way sin creeps in.
The poor have to borrow money to look after their families and those who are rich charge them exorbitant amounts of interest on the loans. This made it extremely difficult to meet the loan repayments and as a result many of the poorest people ended up selling their families or themselves into slavery to pay the debts. This sin could not be tolerated by God or Nehemiah, it is important to remember that God does not like social injustice. Wealth is not honourable when gained through putting someone else into poverty. This is as much a 21st century issue as it was an Old Testament issue.
Nehemiah calls the people together and demands that this is put right immediately. He cannot fathom how they don’t understand the irony of God setting them free from captivity only for them to put each other back into slavery. When Nehemiah speaks to the people he shakes out the folds in his robes (v13) this had a very specific meaning. He was saying if you continue this behaviour you will be shaken out like the garment. However, the symbol of shaking out the robe also meant that nothing is hidden, there is nothing concealed and there is nothing between us. It was a symbol of openness and transparency between the two parties. No more hidden charges, no more secret agenda’s from now on all will be fair and open.
God expects us to be people of integrity in our dealings with others. We need to be able to shake out our robes and know that are actions are fair, transparent and that nothing is hidden or under handed in our relationship with others.