Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 5:11
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.
11. Restore, I pray you, &c.] On ‘I pray you’ see note on Neh 5:10. Nehemiah demands immediate redress for the wrongs done to fellow-countrymen. He demands restoration of property and remission of interest on loans.
even this day ] The same Hebrew word as is rendered in 1Sa 9:13, ‘at this time.’ Literally = ‘as if to-day,’ i.e. ‘immediately.’
their lands houses ] R.V. their fields houses. The first part of the demand is the restoration to the poor of the property which had been offered as security for the sums borrowed from the money-lenders.
also the hundredth part, &c.] This ‘hundredth part’ was in all probability reckoned by month. It corresponded therefore to the Latin ‘centesima usura,’ and represented interest at the rate of 12 per cent.
corn, the wine, and the oil ] This exorbitant rate of interest seems to have been exacted in kind if cash was not forthcoming.
The second part of Nehemiah’s demand refers to the exaction of interest. It is impossible to suppose that he required the moneylenders to restore the sums which had already been paid in interest. The main verb ‘restore’ is only by ‘zeugma’ applicable to ‘the hundredth part;’ and the meaning is ‘do not exact,’ ‘remit your claim to the 12 p. c. interest which you are accustomed to levy in money or produce of the land.’
His twofold demand, for immediate restoration of property and for future renunciation of interest, corresponds to the twofold reply of the money-lenders in the following verse. It is probable that we are only to understand Nehemiah’s intervention to be made in the interests of the poor. The transactions of the wealthy with one another are not contemplated by the early Israelite or the Levitical laws, Exo 22:25; Lev 25:36-37.
An ingenious conjecture, which alters the text by the insertion of one letter only, would read, instead of ‘the hundredth part’ ( um’ath), ‘the usury’ ( umash’ath). The latter part of the verse would then only expand in greater detail the substance of the first. The LXX. follows a different pointing of the word.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The hundredth part of the money … – i. e. the interest. It is conjectured that the 100th part was payable monthly, or, in other words, that interest was taken at the rate of twelve per cent. The Law altogether disallowed the taking of interest from Israelites (see Exo 22:25; Lev 25:36, etc.).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. Also the hundredth part of the money] Houbigant contends,
1. That the word meath, which we and the Vulgate translate one hundredth part, never means so anywhere; and
2. That it would have answered no end to have remitted to people so distressed merely the one hundredth part of the money which had been taken from them by usury.
He understands meath as signifying the same as min eth, contracted into meeth, a preposition and demonstrative particle joined together, also a part FROM THE money. Neither the Syriac, Septuagint, nor Arabic acknowledges this hundredth part. Some think that the hundredth part is that which they obliged the poor debtors to pay each month, which would amount to what we would call twelve per cent. interest for the money lent, or the debt contracted. See the introduction.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Also the hundredth part of the money; also require not; which is to be supplied out of the next verse, where it is expressed in their answer to and grant of this desire. The hundredth part; which they required every month for the use of their monies or goods, according to the custom then used, and afterwards by the Romans.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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, De 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 Ne 5:15.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(11) Also the hundredth part of the money.The monthly payment of one per cent. per month, twelve per cent. in the year, they were required to give up for the future.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. Restore this day Wrongs cannot be too speedily righted.
The hundredth part This is commonly supposed to mean one per cent. paid monthly, thus corresponding with the Roman centesimae usurae, or twelve per cent. per annum. We know not what rate of interest was legal among the Jews. It is said that the laws of Menu allow eighteen and even twenty-four per cent. This hundredth part, which these usurers were required to restore, may have been only the excess of the legal rate.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Neh 5:11. Also the hundredth part of the money And also a part of his money. Houbigant.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Neh 5:11 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.
Ver. 11. Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day ] While you are in a melting temper, and in a good mind, make restitution. Say not, This is a hard saying, who can brook it? But say rather, as the civilian saith, Perquam durum est; sed ita lex scripta est, ‘Tis hard to be done, but the law will have it so done; Aut faciendam, aut patiendum (Ulpian.). Either we must do it, or do worse. The law for restitution, see Lev 6:1 ; Lev 6:4 Num 5:6-7 , &c. The wrong-doer must not only confess, but restore. The transgression was against God, but the trespass against man; and he must be satisfied, if the sin shall be pardoned. Samuel proffered to restore, if it might appear that he had wronged any, 1Sa 12:3 . Micah, though an idolater did so, Jdg 17:2-3 . So did Queen Mary she restored again all ecclesiastical livings asstoned to the crown. Her grandfather, Henry VII, in his last will and testament, devised and willed restitution should be forthwith made of all such monies as had been unjustly levied by the officers. Selimus, the Great Turk, did the like upon his death bed; so great is the force of natural conscience. Gravel in the kidneys will not grate so much as a little guilt in this kind. Restore your evil gotten goods, saith father Latimer, or else you will cough in hell, and the devils will laugh at you. He set this point so well home, that he wrought upon many; and particularly upon Master Bradford. Austin saith, that if a man be able to make actual restitution, and do it not, poenitentia non agitur, sed fingitur, his repentance is not right; if he have wasted all, and is not able to restore, he must desire pardon very humbly, and water the earth with his tears.
Also the hundredth part of the money
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the hundredth part. Paid at one per cent, per month, as was the custom; it was twelve per cent, per annum.
the wine. Some codices, with two early printed editions and Syriac, read “and the new wine”.
wine. Hebrew. tirosh. App-27.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Restore: Lev 6:4, Lev 6:5, 1Sa 12:3, 2Sa 12:6, Isa 58:6, Luk 3:8
their lands: Neh 5:3, Neh 5:4
the hundredth: This was probably the rate of interest which they obliged their poor debtors to pay each month, which would amount to about 12 percent. Another author states that this is the lowest rate of interest in Syria: the usual rate is 20; and it is sometimes as high as 30 percent.
Reciprocal: Exo 22:25 – General Mat 18:28 – and took
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 5:11. Restore their land, &c. Give them up their mortgages, put them again in possession of their estates, remit the interest, and give them time to pay the principal. I pray you Though he had authority to command, yet, for loves sake, he rather beseeches. Also the hundredth part of the money Require not this, as the next verse explains it, where it is expressed in their grant of this desire. The hundredth part of the money lent was wont to be required every month for the use of it, according to the custom then prevailing in those countries, and afterward adopted by the Romans. So that every year an eighth part of the principal was paid for interest, which was a very extravagant usury.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
5:11 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, {l} that ye exact of them.
(l) Which you take from them for the loan.