Assyrian period. He strips fearlessly from the rulers of the community the
mantle of hypocrisy with which they sought to cover their shame. In
clearest terms he declares that their first duty to God is to loose the
fetters of injustice and to share their bread with the hungry. This
stirring prophetic message is the natural introduction to the reformatory
work of Nehemiah.

II. Nehemiah's Method of Correcting the Social Evils in the Community.
Nehemiah's address recorded in the fifth chapter of his memoirs completes
the picture suggested in Isaiah 56 and 58. The poor had been compelled by
their poverty to sell their children into slavery to the rich and ruling
class. In order to pay their personal taxes they had also mortgaged their
inherited fields, vineyards, and houses. Doubtless much of the tax thus
raised went into the pockets of their rulers, who preyed mercilessly upon
the helpless and needy. These crimes directly violated the laws of
Deuteronomy (cf. Deut. 23:9, 20), as well as those in the older Book of
the Covenant (Ex. 21-23). Nehemiah's position, therefore, when he demanded
that these evils be righted, was unassailable. In the spirit and with the
methods of the earlier prophets he gathered together the people, probably
within the precincts of the temple court, and plainly and unsparingly
denounced their acts. There is much in common between this later Jewish
layman and the shepherd Amos. Each spoke on the basis of close personal
observation and experience; but Nehemiah possessed many advantages over
the prophets who had preceded him. His own personal example lent force to
his words. Although it was his right as governor, he had exacted no
tribute from the Judean community. Even though the opportunity had
probably offered itself, he steadily refused to take their hereditary land
from the poor who applied to him for loans of money or grain. Instead of
enslaving his countrymen, he had lost no opportunity to free those who had
been forced by misfortune or poverty into slavery. He had also entertained
lavishly rich and poor alike, and thus given to all an example of
practical charity. His authority as Persian governor doubtless carried
great weight with the cringing, greedy leaders at Jerusalem. Above all,
the force of his personality was irresistible. It is easy to imagine the
powerful impression which his words made upon them. The restoration of
their lands and the freeing of their children were undoubtedly migh