Nehemiah 5:7, commentary and pictures

The rebuke took place while the wall of Jerusalem was still unfinished, when the poorer people were suffering scarcity of grain because tillage had been neglected in the unsettled country and divine blessing was withheld on account of the selfish course of some who had returned. The usury condemned was the wealthier Jews enriching themselves from their brothers' necessities, forcing them to buy food on credit at exorbitant prices and to borrow money at interest to pay the heavy taxes imposed by the kings of Persia. That exaction broke God's commands given through Moses not to act as an usurer toward His poor people and not to lend at interest on money, food, or anything else to a brother, but to open the hand wide and lend enough for his need.

Behind the rebuke stood further provisions for the poor, a tithe raised every third year for their benefit and a suspension of farm labor every seventh year with the land lying fallow and its spontaneous produce left to the needy. Those offerings for relief of the poor and other benevolent uses were meant to keep fresh the truth of God's ownership of all and the opportunity to be channels of blessing, training Israel to eradicate selfishness and develop breadth and nobility of character. On hearing the cry about cruel oppression his soul was filled with indignation and he was very angry, yet he took time to consult with himself, consider the complaints, and plan his response. He saw that to break up the oppressive custom he must take a decided stand for justice and then worked with energy and determination to bring relief to his brethren.

He rebuked the nobles and rulers for exacting usury and charging interest from their fellow Jews and oppressing them, and set a great public assembly against them. Using his authority he pressed for justice, addressed the injustice, and sought relief for the poor and oppressed, setting before the people God's requirements touching the case. He was not deterred by the wealth and importance of the oppressors, whose support was greatly needed in restoring the city, and that consideration did not influence him for a moment.

The verse presents unjust exaction and exploitation of one's own people as contrary to judgment and justice and as a violation of people's rights that must be publicly confronted and decisively opposed. His rebuke expressed religious integrity and the fear of God: he refused to tolerate oppression or to join fellow officials in plans to gain control through injustice, remaining true to God and the principles of His law. In this confrontation he defended the poor and oppressed and made the wrongdoers remove the reproach they had caused. Though others later met his efforts with ingratitude and treachery he did not use his authority to punish them for his own sake but continued serving the people calmly and without selfishness.