Nehemiah 5:6-11: a reflection

6I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. 7Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, “You exact usury, everyone of his brother.” I held a great assembly against them. 8I said to them, “We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?” Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say. 9Also I said, “The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? 10I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury. 11Please restore to them, even today, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you are charging them.”

When Nehemiah learns that the nobles and rulers are exacting harsh interest from their own poor brothers, profiting off their distress and even taking their fields and children, he is angry, and confronts them. The thing that you do is not good, he tells them. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God? He calls them to stop exploiting their poor brothers for gain, and to restore what they had taken. It was wrong, he insists, to profit off the distress of the vulnerable, exploiting their own kin who were in need.

Notice what Nehemiah confronted: the exploitation of the poor and vulnerable for gain. The nobles were using the distress of their poor brothers to enrich themselves, charging harsh interest, taking their property and their children. Nehemiah calls this what it is: not good, a failure to walk in the fear of God. To profit off the vulnerable, to exploit the distress of those in need for one's own gain, was wrong, a violation of the fear of God and of the bonds between brothers. Nehemiah would not tolerate the exploitation of the poor; he called for it to stop, and for restoration.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can be tempted to profit off the vulnerable, or to tolerate such exploitation. When others are in distress or need, there is a temptation to use their weakness for our own gain, to profit off their vulnerability, as the nobles exploited their poor brothers; but Nehemiah called this not good, a failure to fear God. Do not exploit the vulnerable or profit off the distress of those in need; deal justly and generously with them, as Nehemiah called the nobles to stop their usury and restore what they had taken. Refuse to use the weakness of others for your own gain; deal with the vulnerable and needy justly and generously, in the fear of God, rather than exploiting them, as Nehemiah confronted the nobles for profiting off their poor brothers; for to exploit the vulnerable for gain is not good, and God calls us to deal justly with those in need, not to profit off their distress.

Lord, when Nehemiah learns that the nobles and rulers are exacting harsh interest from their own poor brothers, profiting off their distress and even taking their fields and children, he is angry, and confronts them. The thing that you do is not good, he tells them. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God? He calls them to stop exploiting their poor brothers for gain, and to restore what they had taken. Show me what Nehemiah confronted: the exploitation of the poor and vulnerable for gain. The nobles were using the distress of their poor brothers to enrich themselves. Nehemiah calls this what it is: not good, a failure to walk in the fear of you. To profit off the vulnerable, to exploit the distress of those in need for one's own gain, was wrong, a violation of the fear of you. Nehemiah would not tolerate it. Take that to my heart, for I too can be tempted to profit off the vulnerable, or to tolerate such exploitation. When others are in distress or need, there is a temptation to use their weakness for my own gain, as the nobles exploited their poor brothers; but Nehemiah called this not good. Keep me from exploiting the vulnerable or profiting off the distress of those in need; help me deal justly and generously with them, Lord, as Nehemiah called the nobles to stop their usury. Help me refuse to use the weakness of others for my own gain, dealing with the vulnerable and needy justly and generously, in the fear of you.