Chapter 6: Brothers Who Devour

While the people sacrificed everything to rebuild the wall, a crisis erupted from within. A great outcry rose from the common people and their wives against their own Jewish brothers.

There was a famine. The king's taxes were heavy. Families were mortgaging their fields, their vineyards, and their homes just to buy grain. Others had borrowed money at interest to pay the royal tax. And the worst part was what some families were being forced to do to survive.

THE PEOPLE“We are forcing our sons and daughters into slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, and we are powerless to redeem them, because our fields and our vineyards now belong to others.”— Nehemiah 5:5

The very people rebuilding the wall together were devouring each other.

Nehemiah burned with anger. He thought it over carefully, then called a large public assembly and confronted the nobles and officials before everyone.

NEHEMIAH“You are charging your own people interest! We have bought back our Jewish brothers who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own brothers, only for them to be sold back to us?”— Nehemiah 5:7-8

They had nothing to say.

Nehemiah demanded they stop the usury immediately and return the fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses they had taken, along with every cent of interest they had charged. Then he took the fold of his robe and shook it out before the crowd.

NEHEMIAH“In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”— Nehemiah 5:13

THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY“Amen!”— Nehemiah 5:13

The nobles took an oath and followed through. And Nehemiah led by example. He would govern Judah for twelve years, long after the wall was finished. In all that time, he never took the food allowance previous governors had demanded. Instead, he fed a hundred and fifty officials at his own table every day.