Neh 5 | TSK | STEP | The Jews complain of their debt, mortgage, and bondage. Nehemiah rebukes the usurers, and causes them to make a covenant of restitution. He forbears his own allowance, and keeps hospitality. a great cry. their brethren.

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 per cent. 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 per cent.

We will restore.

2Ch 28:14,15; Ezr 10:12; Mt 19:21,22; Lu 19:8

I called.

10:29; 13:25; 2Ki 23:2,3; 2Ch 6:22,23; 15:13,14; Ezr 10:5

Jer 34:8-10; Mt 26:63

I shook my lap.So "when the Roman ambassadors entered the senate of Carthage, they had their toga gathered up in their bosom, and said, We carry here peace and war; you may have which you will. The senate answered, You may give which you please. They then shook their toga, and said, We bring you war."--Livy.

Mt 10:14; Ac 13:51; 18:6

So God.

1Sa 15:28; 1Ki 11:29-31; Zec 5:3,4

emptied. Heb. empty, or void. Amen.

Nu 5:22; De 27:14-26

praised.

1Ch 16:36

the people.

2Ki 23:3; Ps 50:14; 76:11; 119:106; Ec 5:5

from the twentieth.

2:1; 13:6

I and my.

1Co 9:4-15,18; 2Th 3:8,9

the bread.

Ezr 4:13,14; Ro 13:6,7

even their.

1Sa 2:15-17; 8:15; Pr 29:12

so did.

Mt 5:47; 2Co 11:9; 12:13

because.

9; Job 31:23; Ps 112:1; 147:11; Pr 16:6; Ec 12:13,14; Isa 50:10

Lu 18:2-4

I continued.

Lu 8:15; Ro 2:7; 1Co 15:58; Ga 6:9

neither bought.

Nu 16:15; Ac 20:33-35; 1Th 2:5,6

all my.

2Co 12:16-18; Php 2:20,21

Moreover.He kept open house, and entertained all comers; besides having 150 Jews, who had their food constantly at his table, and at his expense.

at my table.

2Sa 9:7,13; 1Ki 18:19

an hundred.

Isa 32:8; Ro 12:13; 1Pe 4:9,10

Now that.

1Ki 4:22,23

one ox.This was food sufficient for more than two hundred men. Bp. Pococke says that the bey of Tunis had daily twelve sheep, with fish and fowls, soups, oranges, eggs, onions, boiled rice, etc., etc. His nobles dined with him; after they had done, the servants sat down; and when they had finished, the poor took what was left. Here the bey's twelve sheep are equal to Nehemiah's one ox and six choice sheep; and probably the mode of living between the two was nearly alike. It is still the practice in the East to calculate the expenses of the table, not by the money paid, but by the provisions consumed by the guests.

required.

14,15

because the bondage.

Ps 37:21,26

Think.

13:14,22,31; Ge 40:14; Ps 25:6,7; 40:17; 106:4; Jer 29:11

according to.

Ps 18:23-25; Mt 10:42; 25:34-40; Mr 9:41