I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.
Parallel Translations
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I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.
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I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
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And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, have lent them money and corn. I pray you, let us leave off this exaction.
Cross-references (12)
Passages linked to Nehemiah 5:10 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Corinthians 6:1 Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain,
- Exodus 22:25-27 “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor. You shall not charge him interest. If you take your neighbor’s garment as collateral, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What would he sleep in? It will happen, when he cries to me, that I will hear, for I am gracious.
- Nehemiah 5:7 Then 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.
- Psalms 15:5 he who doesn’t lend out his money for usury, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken.
- Ezekiel 18:8 he who hasn’t lent to them with interest, hasn’t taken any increase from them, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,
- Ezekiel 18:13 has lent with interest, and has taken increase from the poor; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.
- Micah 2:1 Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.
- Luke 3:13-14 He said to them, “Collect no more than that which is appointed to you.” Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”
- 1 Corinthians 9:12-18 If others partake of this right over you, don’t we yet more? Nevertheless we didn’t use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ. Don’t you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar? Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Good News should live from the Good News. But I have used none of these things, and I don’t write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void. For if I preach the Good News, I have nothing to boast about; for necessity is laid on me; but woe is to me if I don’t preach the Good News. For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward. But if not of my own will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. What then is my reward? That when I preach the Good News, I may present the Good News of Christ without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News.
- 2 Corinthians 5:11 Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are revealed to God, and I hope that we are revealed also in your consciences.
- 2 Corinthians 5:20 We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
- Philemon 1:8-9 Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate, yet for love’s sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (13 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Or, usury.
Or, usury.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Neh 5:10 I likewise, [and] my brethren, and my…
Neh 5:10 I likewise, [and] my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
Ver. 10. I likewise, and my brethren … might exact money] To wit, for money we have lent them; or as a recompense of our public employments. But posse et nolle, nobile est to be able and willing is noble. (Seneca).
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I pray you, leave off this usury] Who can resist this sweet and sovereign admonition? See Neh 5:9. They had somewhat to say, no doubt, in defence of their usury; as also many have at this day. But let them consider, that usury is here and elsewhere cried down without distinction, Psa 15:5 Eze 18:8; Eze 18:13. That the lender dealeth not as he would be dealt withal; that St Luke maketh him worse than other sinners, when he saith, Sinners lend to sinners to receive the like, but these to receive more, Luk 6:34. That heathens condemned usury, as Aristotle in his Ethics, and Agis, the general of the Athenians, Agesilaus, king of Spartans; who, when he saw the usurers’ bills and bonds set on fire by Agis, said, That he never saw a clearer fire burn (Plut. in Solone). And lastly, that at Rome itself usurers are excommunicated monthly.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain My brethren, to wit, in office; those who are…
My brethren, to wit, in office; those who are employed with me in the government of this people.
My servants; in my name, and for my use.
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Might exact of them money and corn, as a just recompence for our pains and care for the public good, to which we wholly devote ourselves, even to the neglect of all our private concerns. But I will not rigorously exact, but do freely remit my own right, which, in those circumstances, it is my duty to do; and therefore you also ought to do so, seeing I lay no burden upon you but what I am willing to bear a part of upon my own shoulders.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Restore, I pray you, even this day, their lands,…
Restore, I pray you, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses,.... Which they had made over to them for corn they had had, or money they borrowed of them; it is entreated that an immediate restitution be made, and the rather, if what Aben Ezra observes is true, that this was the year of release, when debts were not to be exacted, but forgiven, Deu 15:1,
also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them; the hundredth part of the money might be what they took for usury, as the Romans did in later times, even so much a month; so that if the loan was one hundred pounds, a pound was given every month for it, and so one hundred and twelve pounds in the year; and the hundredth part of the corn, wine, and oil, might be the hundredth part of those fruits of the earth which the rulers demanded for their salary, see Neh 5:15.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Brethren - In office; these who are employed with…
Brethren - In office; these who are employed with me in the government of this people. Servants - In my name, and for my use. Exact - As a just recompense for our pains and care for the publick good, to which we wholly devote ourselves, even to the neglect of all our private concerns. But I freely remit my own right, and therefore you also ought to do so, seeing I lay no burden upon you, but what I am willing to bear a part of upon my own shoulders.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Neh 5:10. I likewise, and my brethren — In…
Neh 5:10. I likewise, and my brethren — In office; who are employed with me in the government of this people; and my servants — In my name and for my use; might exact of them money and corn — As a just recompense for our pains and care for the public good, to which we wholly devote ourselves, even to the neglect of all our private concerns. But I freely remit my own right, and therefore you also ought to remit yours, seeing I lay no burden upon you but what I am willing to bear a part of upon my own shoulders.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain I ... might exact - Nehemiah had lent, but…
I ... might exact - Nehemiah had lent, but not upon pledge.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 10. I likewise — Nehemiah, like the true God-fearing…
10. I likewise — Nehemiah, like the true God-fearing ruler, conscious of integrity and honour, pleads his own example as one worthy of his people’s notice.
My brethren, and my servants — See notes on chap. Neh_4:16; Neh_4:23.
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Might exact — Nehemiah and those whom he associates with himself had the same opportunity to oppress their poor brethren by usury as they, but he assumes that such action would grossly unfit him and them for the position they occupied.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 10. I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants]…
10. I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants] R.V. And I likewise, my brethren and my servants. We must conclude from this verse that Nehemiah himself lent ‘on usury’ to his countrymen. The words are not, as A.V., ‘I … and my brethren, &c.’, but ‘I, my brethren, &c.’ Nehemiah takes the reply out of the mouth of his opponents. He confesses he is himself not free from blame. For ‘his own kinsfolk and dependants’ lent ‘on usury,’ and he their head and representative was responsible for them. They may have been generous and forbearing, but they had violated the principle, which he was upholding: and in so far, Nehemiah accepted the blame of his house. Some suppose that Nehemiah in lending did not require a pledge, and thus differed from the regular money-lenders. ‘Brethren,’ ‘servants.’ See note on Neh_4:23.
might exact of them money and corn] R.V. do lend them money and corn on usury. The rendering of the A.V. ‘might exact’ seems to be dictated by the desire to save the honour of Nehemiah and of his house. But the clause does not claim a privilege, but states a fact. By diplomatically accepting the responsibility of a share in the general guilt, he conciliates his hearers and disarms them of a retort. Nevertheless we gather from the clause that it was not so much ‘usury’ as the abuse of usury, the excessive and tyrannical rate of interest exacted from the poor, which excited his indignation against the rich.
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I pray you] These words render a Hebrew particle adding urgency to the request, without introducing the idea of supplication, cf. Neh_1:5. It might be rendered ‘Come now, let us leave off, &c.’
let us leave off this usury] Nehemiah invites his hearers to join with him in abandoning a custom which had been productive of such evil results. ‘This usury,’ i.e. requiring of interest or of pledges. LXX. ἀπαίτησιν. Not the lending but the plan of making a gain out of loans to the poor, whether by demanding interest upon loans or seizing the pledge which had been the security for an advance, is condemned.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (10) Might exact.—We have lent them money and corn.…
(10) Might exact.—We have lent them money and corn. By his own example the governor pleads with them: not “let us leave off this usury,” but let us all and together “remit the loans.”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain I likewise... might exact of them. Rather, "have lent…
I likewise... might exact of them. Rather, "have lent them." I and mine have advanced to the poorer classes, in this period of their distress, money and corn; but not as you have, not upon security. Let us then, all of us, you as well as I, henceforth relinquish this practice of mortgaging and pledge-taking.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Let us leave off this usury.
Neh_5:10
Let us leave off this usury.
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Wise rebuke
He did not stand on a pedestal and look down on them with scorn and contempt; he rather placed himself alongside of the offenders, that he might lift them to a higher level. Let us learn from this beautiful example how best to rebuke and restore an erring brother or sister. (W. P. Lockhart.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 5:10 I myself . . . have been lending:…
5:10 I myself . . . have been lending: Nehemiah and his associates were evidently making loans without burdening people. Nehemiah’s example was the solution: to give financial help without pushing people further into debt by charging interest (see Deut 15:7-11).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.