erefore I said, 'The thing that
you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God,
because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? For I also, my kinsmen
and my servants, lend them money and grain. Let us, therefore, leave off
this usury. Restore to them this day their fields, their vineyards, their
oliveyards, and their houses, also the usury of the money and of the
grain, of the new wine, and of the oil, that you exact from them.'

[Sidenote: Neh. 5:12, 13]
Then they said, 'We will restore them and will demand nothing from them;
we will do just as you say.' Then I called the priests and took an oath of
them, that they would do according to this promise. Also I shook out the
fold of my garment, and said, 'So may God shake out every man from his
house and from the fruit of his labor, who does not fulfil this promise;
even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.' And all the assembly said,
'So may it be.' And they praised Jehovah. And the people did according to
this promise.

[Sidenote: Neh. 5:14-19]
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in
The land of Judah, from the twentieth year (445 B.C.) even to the
thirty-second year (432) of Artaxerxes the king, that is for twelve years,
I and my kinsmen had not eaten the bread which was due me as governor. But
the former governors who were before me were a source of expense to the
people, and took of them bread and wine, and also forty shekels of silver
each day; and furthermore their servants oppressed the people. But I did
not so, because of the fear of God. I also devoted myself to this work on
the wall, and we did not buy any land; and all my servants were gathered
there for the work. Also the Jews and the rulers, a hundred and fifty men,
besides those who came to us from among the surrounding nations, were at
my table. Now that which was prepared for each day was one ox and six
choice sheep and fowls. These were prepared at my expense, and once in ten
days wine in abundance for all the people. Yet with all this I did not
demand the bread which was due me as governor, because the public service
rested heavily upon this people. Remember to my credit, O my God, all that
I have done for this people.

[Sidenote: Neh. 13:1-9]
Now before my return from the king, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed
over the chambers of the house of our God, being related to Tobiah, had
prepared for him a great chamber, where formerly they h