Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 5:7
Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
7. Then I consulted with myself ] The word in the original belongs to late Hebrew usage, and is only paralleled in the O. T. by the word rendered ‘my counsel’ in Dan 4:27. Literally the clause runs ‘then my heart took counsel within me.’
and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers ] R.V. and contended with the nobles and the rulers (marg. ‘Or, deputies ’). For Nehemiah’s use of the expression ‘contend with,’ see Neh 13:11; Neh 13:17; Neh 13:25. It denotes the conflict of opinion as well as the administration of reproach. Cf. Jer 2:9. ‘The nobles and the rulers,’ as in Neh 2:16.
You exact usury, every one of his brother ] The reader should refer to the passages in the Pentateuch bearing upon usury, ( a) Exo 22:25. This passage relates to the dealings between Israelites. The purpose of lending is to assist a brother. Interest is not to be exacted but pledges are permitted. The giving of pledges is regulated by principles of charity.
( b) Deu 23:19-20. The Deuteronomic law forbids interest upon loans advanced to Israelites, but permits them with foreigners. The principle of brotherhood is upheld in the nation. The rules regulating ‘the giving of pledges’ are repeated (Deu 24:10-13).
( c) Lev 25:35-37. This law treats only of dealing with Israelites, and prohibits all idea of making gain out of assistance rendered to brethren in distress.
In all three passages, the law contemplates the lending of money to the poor man in distress. The taking of a pledge or security is permitted, but not the exaction of interest from a fellow-countryman. Nehemiah himself exacted interest upon loans (Neh 5:10). We are not therefore to suppose that his indignation was directed against the practice of usury, but against the hard-heartedness and covetousness of the usurers. Mere denunciation against them for these moral failings would have availed nothing. He wisely puts in the forefront of his expostulation the general statement that the Jews were practising ‘usury’ against their brethren. He implies that this was contrary to the spirit of the law and to good fellowship. He himself sought to relieve his brethren (Neh 5:8), but he and his companions had, he confessed, given way to the custom of the time, and had lent on usury, although he had not been exacting in his demands. He and the wealthy professional money-lenders had both done wrong. He had been merciful and they had not This was the only difference. On the general principle he therefore proposed that all taking of interest from needy fellow-countrymen should be abandoned. His manner of approaching the subject conciliated the rulers, as he associated himself with their wrong-doing. He benefited the poor by procuring the abolition of usurious transactions. He upheld the charitable principle of the old Israelite law. The violation of it is the subject of rebuke in very different periods. Amo 2:8; Job 22:6; Job 24:3; Sir 13:22-23 .
That the strict law of Israel forbade taking upon usury is shown by a comparison of such passages as Psa 15:5; Psa 37:26; Pro 28:8; Eze 18:8; Eze 18:13; Eze 18:17; Eze 22:12. But that these passages as well as the laws in Ex., Lev., Deut. refer primarily to usury upon charitable loans seems probable. Usury as a legitimate financial transaction between Jews seems to have been recognized by the Jews (cf. Mat 25:27); but in the Talmud it is forbidden.
And I set a great assembly ] R.V. And I held a great assembly. ‘Assembly.’ The word here used occurs elsewhere only in Deu 33:4, ‘the assembly of Jacob.’ Nehemiah’s object probably was to give a public hearing to the complaints, and by the largeness and importance of the meeting to establish beyond controversy an arrangement which was calculated to meet with disapprobation from an influential class.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Ye exact usury – The phrase is unique to Nehemiah, and is best explained by the context, which shows the practice of the rich Jews at the time to have been not so much to lend on usury as to lend on mortgage and pledge.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Neh 5:7
Then I consulted with myself.
Precipitate anger avoided
But, though very angry, he nevertheless consulted with himself. Even righteous indignation is often too precipitate in its expression, and vents itself in a fuming and storming which does little or no good. But the fervid feeling of Nehemiah was blended with practical wisdom. He took counsel with himself as to what was best to be done. (T. C. Finlayson.)
And I set a great assembly against them.
An assembly convoked against sinners
I wish to show impenitent sinners how great an assembly may be set against them. That so large a majority of mankind are on the side of irreligion, tends powerfully to preserve a majority on that side, for a large proportion of the youth in each successive generation will enlist under the banner of the strongest party. The same circumstance operates to weaken the force and prevent the success of those means and arguments which God employs for the conversion of sinners. When the man who neglects religion looks around him and sees wealth, rank, power, and influence all ranged on his side, he secretly says, I must be right, I must be safe. If I fare as well as the great mass of my fellow-creatures, I shall fare well enough. This being the case, it is important that sinners should be made to see what a great assembly may be set against them. Among those who are against them, we mention–
I. The good men now in the world. God has not a servant, Jesus Christ has not a friend on earth who is not against you. Their example is against you, their testimony is against you.
II. All the good men who have ever lived in the world, the spirits of just men made perfect.
III. All the writers of the old and new testaments. With one voice they cry, Woe to the wicked! it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
IV. The Holy Angels.
V. The Lord Jesus Christ. Every doctrine which He promulgated, every precept which He enjoined, every threatening which He uttered, every action of his life, is against you. Christ meets all the impenitent, and says, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. He meets the unbelieving, and says, He that believeth not shall be damned. He meets all the unholy, and says, Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. He meets all the unregenerate, and exclaims, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye be born again, ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.
VI. God the Father. (E. Payson, D. D.)
Witnesses against you
Some persons are deaf to the voice of justice until it is repeated loudly by thousands of their fellow-men. The silent voice of principle and right they will not hear, and the gentle rebuke of some one faithful friend they will despise; but when righteousness enlists public opinion on its side, when many are seen to be its advocates, then these very persons will show that they have relics of conscience left, and they yield to right demands because they see them not only to be just, but to be popular. This is the main point with those of the feebler sort, and we turn the scale if, like Nehemiah, we set a great assembly against them. I set a great assembly against–
I. The unconverted.
1. The great assembly of all the godly that are upon the earth. They all testify against you.
(1) By their consistent life.
(2) By their joy in God.
(3) By their very horror at your sin.
They cannot bear to think of that which awaits you. Holy Whitfield, when he began to touch upon that subject, would, with the tears streaming down his cheeks, cry, The wrath to come! the wrath to come! It was too much for him. He could but repeat those words and there cease.
2. All the inspired writers of the Bible.
3. The departed saints.
4. The whole company of the angels.
5. God Himself. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
6. Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
II. Those who say that sin is a very pleasnt and profitable thing. Oh, what an assembly it would be if I could bring up from the hospitals the wretches who are suffering an earthly hell from their sins I Go over the casual ward, enter the union-house, spend an evening in a low lodging-house, and sit down and hear the tales of sons of ministers, of sons of gentlemen, of sons of noblemen, of men that once were merchants, traders, lawyers, doctors, who have brought themselves down by nothing else than their own extravagance and sin to eat the bread of pauperism.
III. Those who say that true religion makes people miserable. I have suffered as much of bodily pain as most here present, and I know also about as much depression of spirit at times as any one; but my Masters service is a blessed service, and faith in Him makes my soul leap for joy. I would not change with the most healthy man, or the most wealthy man, or the most learned man, or the most eminent man in all the world, if I had to give up my faith in Jesus Christ. It is a blessed thing to be a Christian and all Gods people will tell you so. By the living saints that do rejoice, and by the dying saints who die without a fear, I set an assembly against the man who dares slander true religion by saying that it does not make men happy. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 7. Ye exact usury] This was expressly contrary to the law of God; and was doubly cruel at this time, when they were just returning out of the land of their captivity, and were suffering from the effects of a dearth. Some think that it was about the time of a Sabbatical year, when their land must have lain at rest without cultivation, and during which they were expressly commanded not to exact any debt. De 15:2.
I set a great assembly against them.] Brought all these delinquents before the rulers of the people.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Ye exact usury every one of his brother; which was against the plain and positive law of God, Deu 23:19,20; especially in this time of public calamity and dearth.
I set a great assembly against them; I called a public congregation, both of the rulers and people, the greatest part whereof were free from this guilt, and therefore mere impartial judges of the matter, and represented it to them, that the offenders might be convinced, and reform this abuse; if not for fear of God, or love of their brethren, yet at least for the public shame, and the cries of the poor.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then I consulted with myself,…. What was to be done, what method to be taken to redress such grievances:
and I rebuked the nobles and the rulers; who were the men that monopolized the corn in this dear season, and sold it at an extravagant price, and had got the lands, vineyards, and houses of the poor mortgaged to them, and to whom they had lent money on usury:
and said unto them, you exact usury everyone of his brother; which was contrary to the express law of God, Ex 22:25 and which even the Indians h strictly observed, who neither let out money, nor took any upon usury:
and I set a great assembly against them; either of the poor that were oppressed, who brought in their accusations and complaints against them, or a large body of the people, who were not guilty, to hear them, that the delinquents might be put to public shame; or he called a large court of judicature, and set them to examine these allegations, and to do justice.
h Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 4. c. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) I consulted.But he mastered himself, and studied his plan of operation. The matter was complicated, as the transgressors had violated rather the spirit than the letter of the law. Hence the rebuke, that they exacted usury each of his brother, failed in its object; and the governor called a general assembly, not against them, but concerning them.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. I consulted with myself He would do nothing rashly, but carefully devise and adopt the wisest measures to reform these abuses.
Rebuked Contended with them; strove with them by words, as the following sentences show.
Nobles rulers See note on Neh 2:16.
Ye exact usury Demand exorbitant and unlawful interest. This the law strictly prohibited. See Exo 22:25; Lev 25:36; Deu 23:19.
I set a great assembly against them That is, assembled a great congregation of the people to sit in judgment on the deeds of the usurers.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Neh 5:7. Ye exact usury, &c. This usury was the more grievous, because it was not only contrary to their law, and demanded at a time when they were hard at work, and their enemies threatening to destroy them all; but, as some have observed, the twentieth of Ahasuerus, wherein this was done, began about the end of a sabbatical year, after the law, which forbad every creature to exact any debt of his neighbour or his brother, Deu 15:2 had been so frequently read. This raised the cry of the poor to a greater height, having been forced to sell their children, and being deprived now of all power to redeem them, because their lands were mortgaged to these oppressors. See Bishop Patrick.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Neh 5:7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them.
Ver. 7. Then I consulted with myself ] As reason required; he was very angry, but yet he keeps within compass, and practiseth that rule, Be angry, and sin not: which, saith one, is the easiest charge under the hardest condition that can be. He who will be angry and not sin, let him be angry at nothing but at sin; and then see to it also that it become not a sin, by abandoning right reason, Nehemiah was not so angry but that he could consult with himself, and deliberate what was best to be done: his heart consulted within him, or wisely overruled him: so the Hebrew.
And I rebuked the nobles and the elders
And said unto them, Ye exact usury
Every one of his brother
And I set a great assembly against them
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Then = And.
rulers. See note on Neh 2:16.
exact usury. It was twelve per cent. See Neh 5:11.
one = man.
set = appointed.
assembly = body [of witnesses. ] Hebrew. kehallah (feminine.) Occurs only here and Deu 33:4.
against = over.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I consulted with myself: Heb. my heart consulted in me, Psa 4:4, Psa 27:8
I rebuked: Lev 19:15, 2Ch 19:6, 2Ch 19:7, Psa 82:1-4, Pro 27:5, 2Co 5:16, Gal 2:11, 1Ti 5:20, Tit 2:15
Ye exact usury: Exo 22:25, Lev 25:36, Deu 15:2, Deu 15:3, Deu 23:19, Deu 23:20, Deu 24:10-13, Psa 15:1, Psa 15:5, Eze 22:12, Eze 45:9
I set a great assembly: 2Ch 28:9-13, Mat 18:17
Reciprocal: Neh 5:10 – leave Neh 6:17 – the nobles Neh 13:17 – I contended Job 31:34 – the contempt Psa 94:16 – stand up Pro 24:25 – them Pro 28:4 – but Isa 33:15 – despiseth Isa 58:3 – exact Mat 18:28 – and took
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5:7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye {f} exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great {g} assembly against them.
(f) You press them with usury, and seek to bring all thing into your hands.
(g) Both because they should be moved with pity seeing how many were oppressed by them, and also hear the judgment of others, who should be witnesses of their dealings with their brethren.