Keraia
Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah 5:11

Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed · Nehemiah 5:1–13
Read Nehemiah 5

Translations

Modern
Please restore to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you have been assessing them.”
Traditional
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.
Literal
Restore now to them even this day their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, and the hundredth of the silver, and the grain, the new wine, and the oil that you have charged to them.”
Latin
Reddite eis hodie agros suos, et vineas suas, et oliveta sua, et domos suas: quin potius et centesimum pecuniæ, frumenti, vini et olei, quam exigere soletis ab eis, date pro illis.

Original

Hebrew
English
Please restore to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you have been assessing them.”

Notes

Nehemiah 5:11

Nehemiah demanded that the wealthy lenders return the fields and repay the interest (literally the hundredth part), which they should not have collected (see also Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35–37). The term hundredth part suggests the interest was one percent per month. This was lower than the 20 percent annual rate found in some documents of that time, or the 60 percent annual rate charged at Elephantine in Egypt. However, even a low interest rate violated God's covenant.

Nehemiah 5:1–13

Severe financial problems almost stopped the wall's completion (Nehemiah 5:1–5), but Nehemiah found a solution (5:6–13).

Glossary

Banker, Banking Book of Nehemiah Debt Malachi, Book of Nehemiah (Person) Postexilic Period

Topics

Bankruptcy Beneficence: The Jews Who Returned from the Exile Borrowing: General Scriptures Concerning Country: Love of Covetousness in Exacting Usury from Their Brethren Creditor: Oppressions of Creditors: Sometimes Entirely Remitted Debts Example: Good Interest Kindness: The Jews to the People Lending: General Scriptures Concerning Love: Nehemiah for Israelites Money: Silver Used As Poor: Oppressions of Repentance: Because of Their Oppressive Usury Reproof: Faithfulness in Nehemiah, of the Jews The Olive-Tree: Cultivated in Olive Yards The Rich: General Scriptures Concerning Usury or Interest: The Jews: Required to Restore Usury: Exaction of, Rebuked