Reformation Directory

1 The people are oppressed and in necessitie 6 Nehemiáh remedieth it 14 He toke not the portion of others that had ruled before, lest he shulde grieve the people.

1.Now there was a great crye of the people, and of their wives ^aagainst their brethren the Jewes.

2.For there were that said, We, our sonnes & our daughters are many, therefore we take up ^bcorn, that we may eat and live.

3.And there were that said, We must gage our lands, & our vineyards, and our houses and take up corn for the famine.

4.There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the King’s ^ctribute upon our lands and our vineyards.

5.And now our flesh is as ^dthe flesh of our brethren, and our sonnes as their sonnes: and lo, we bring into subjection our sonnes, and our daughters, as servants, and there be of our daughters now in subjection, and there is no power ^ein our hands, for other men have our lands and our vineyards.

6.Then was I very angrie when I heard their crye and these words.

7.And I thought in my mind, and I rebuked the princes, and the rulers, and said unto them, You laie ^fburdens everie one upon his brethren: & I set a great ^gassemblie against them,

8.And I said unto them, We (according to our abilitie) have redemed our brethren the Jewes, which were solde unto the heathen: and wil you sell your brethren again, or shal they be ^hsolde unto us? Then helde they their peace, and colde not answere.

9.ⁱI said also, That which ye do, is not good. Oght ye not to walke in the feare of our God, for the ^kreproche of the heathen our enemies?

10.For even I, my brethren, and my servants do lend them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this ^burden.

11.Restore, I pray you, unto them this day their lands, their vineyardes, their olives, & their houses, & remit the hundreth parte of the silver and of the corne, of the wine, and of the oyle ^lthat ye exact of them.

12.Then said they, We wil restore it, and wil not require it of them: we wil do as thou hast said. Then I called the Priests, and causes them to sweare, that they shulde do according to this promes.

13.So I shooke my lappe, & said, So let God shake out everie man that wil not performe this promes from his house, and from his labour: even thus let him be shaken out, and emptied. And all the Congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord, & the people did according to this promes. ah Sanballat’s lettres.

14.And from the time that the King gave me charge to be governour in the land of Judáh from the twentieth yere, even unto the two and thirtieth yere of King Artahsháshte, that is, twelve yere, I, and my brethren have not eaten the ^mbread of the governour.

15.For the former governours that were before me, had been chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread & wine, besides fourtie shekels of silver: yea, and their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

16.But rather I fortified a porcion in the worke of this wall, and we boght no land, and all my servants came thether together unto the worke.

17.Moreover there were at my table an hundreth and fiftie of the Jewes, and rulers, which came unto us from among the heathen that are about us.

18.And there was prepared daiely an ox, and six chosen shepe, and birdes were prepared for me, and ^within ten dayes wine for all ⁿin abundance. Yet for all this I required not the bread of the governour: for the bondage was grievous unto this people.

19.Remember me, ô my God, in goodness, according to all that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah 5

Notes