Social and Economic Problems (5:1–19)

Now the men and their wives (5:1). The economic crisis faced by Nehemiah is described in chapter 5, in the middle of his major effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Since this building project lasted only fifty-two days (6:15), some scholars have considered it unlikely that Nehemiah would have called a great assembly (5:7) in the midst of such a project. They suggest that the assembly was called only after the rebuilding of the wall, taking 5:14 as retrospective. Nevertheless, the economic pressure created by the rebuilding program may have brought to light problems long simmering that had to be solved before work could proceed.188

Among the classes affected by the economic crisis were the landless, who were short of food (5:2), the landowners compelled to mortgage their properties (5:3), those forced to borrow money at exorbitant rates because of oppressive taxation (5:4), and those forced to sell their children into slavery (5:5).

Raised a great outcry (5:1). The gravity of the situation is underscored in that the wives joined in the protest as the people ran short of funds and supplies to feed their families. Williamson notes, “Since Nehemiah had forbidden the men to return home from Jerusalem while the wall was being built, the farms may have been severely understaffed during the crucial period of ingathering.”189 Significantly too, their complaints were not lodged against the foreign authorities but against their own fellow countrymen, who were exploiting their poorer brethren at a time when both were needed to defend the country.

We are mortgaging our fields (5:3). Fensham observes: “The term mortgage (from the Hebrew root ʿrb) is used only here in Nehemiah in this sense.”190 Economic conditions forced even the considerable property owners to mortgage to the aggrandizement of the wealthy few (cf. Isa. 5:8). The rich got richer, the poor poorer. The economic situation was aggravated by the natural conditions that had produced a famine. Such hardships were considered expressions of God’s judgment (Isa. 51:19; Jer. 14:13–18; Amos 4:6). In times of dire need the wealthy usually have enough stored up to feed themselves. It is the poor who suffer because of the huge rise in prices caused by scarcities.

King’s tax (5:4). Hoglund suggests that heavy military expenditures by the Persians at this time may have raised the need for even greater tax revenue.191 It is estimated that the Persian king collected the equivalent of twenty million dollars a year in taxes.192 Tax collection under the Persians has been illuminated by the publication of the important archive of the Egibi family.193 As A. T. Olmstead points out: “Little of this vast sum was ever returned to the satrapies. It was the custom to melt down the gold and silver and to pour it into jars which were then broken and the bullion stored.”194 At Susa alone Alexander found 9,000 talents of coined gold (about 270 tons) and 40,000 talents of silver (about 1,200 tons) stored up as bullion.

The wealth of the Achaemenid Persians is illustrated by the Oxus treasure, containing exquisite pieces of gold workmanship.

Elsabeth Oakley, courtesy of the British Museum

As coined money was increasingly taken out of circulation, inflation became rampant as the acquisition of land by the Persians and its alienation from production helped produce a 50 percent rise in prices.195 As M. Dandamayev observes:

Documents from Babylonia show that many inhabitants of this satrapy too had to mortgage their fields and orchards to get silver for the payment of taxes to the king. In many cases they were unable to redeem their property, and became landless hired labourers; sometimes they were compelled to give away their children into slavery. According to some Egyptian data, the taxation was so heavy that the peasants fled to the cities, but were arrested by the monarchs and brought back by force.196

Our daughters have already been enslaved (5:5). “Enslaved” (from kābaš, “to subjugate”) can mean “to rape a woman” (cf. Est. 7:8); the JB renders it “have even been raped.” But the context favors the rendering “enslaved.” In times of economic distress, families would borrow funds using members of the family as collateral. If a man could not repay the loan and its interest, his daughters, his sons, his wife, or even the man himself could be sold into bondage. A Hebrew who fell into debt would serve his creditor as “a hired servant” (Lev 25:39–40). He was to be released in the seventh year (Deut. 15:12–18), unless he chose to stay voluntarily. The Code of Hammurabi (# 117) limited such bond service to three years.197 The ironic tragedy of the situation for the exiles was that at least in Mesopotamia their families were together. Now because of dire economic necessities, their children were being sold into slavery.198

You are exacting usury (5:7). The Hebrew word maššā ʾ, which occurs only here, in 5:10, and in 10:31[32], does not mean “usury,” which connotes the exaction of interest, often at exorbitant rates. It means to impose a burden or claim for repayment of debt because a loan has been made for a pledge. Compare the related word maššā ʾâ (“secured loan based on security”; Deut. 24:10; Prov. 22:26). A letter on a Hebrew ostracon from Meṣad Hashavyahu on the coast (seventh cent. B.C.) bears the poignant plea of a poor farmer whose garment had been taken by the governor’s officer and had not been returned (in contravention of Ex. 22:26–27).199

Yabneh Yam ostracon (Meṣad Hashavyahu) in which a worker requests the return of his garment, which has been confiscated by his overseer who accused him of not finishing his work.

Z. Radovan/www.BibleLandPictures.com

The Old Testament passages prohibiting the giving of loans at interest (Ex. 22:25–27; Lev. 25:35–37; Deut. 23:19–20; 24:10–13) were not intended to prohibit commercial loans but rather to charge interest to the impoverished so as to make a profit from the helplessness of one’s neighbors.200 Clines notes that despite the prohibition, there are attested instances of such practices (see Ps. 15:5; Prov. 28:8; Ezek. 18:8, 13, 17)201 (see sidebar on “Loans at Interest”).

You are selling your brothers (5:8). Though it was possible to use a poor brother as a bondservant, he was not to be sold as a slave (Lev. 25:39–42). The sale of fellow Hebrews as slaves to Gentiles was a particularly callous offense and was always forbidden (Ex. 21:8). Joseph’s brothers nonetheless sold him to the Egyptians.202 We know from Joel 3:6 that Jews were being sold to Greeks (ca. 520 B.C.).203 Blenkinsopp observes: “Phoenicians, Greeks, and Arabs, all of whom had commercial interests in the province, were involved in the lucrative slave trade (cf. Ezek. 27:13; Joel 4[3]:3, 4–8; Amos 1:9), and it would be unremarkable if the assimilationist Judean aristocracy also had a hand in it.”204

Also lending the people money and grain (5:10). The granting of loans is not condemned nor is the making of profit (cf. Sir. 42:1–5a). But the Old Testament condemns the greed and avarice that seeks a profit at the expense of people (Ps. 119:36; Isa. 56:9–12; 57:17; Jer. 6:13; 8:10; 22:13–19; Ezek. 22:12–14; 33:31). In view of the urgency of the situation, Nehemiah urges the creditors to relinquish their rights to repayment with interest. Solon, the great Athenian reformer (594 B.C.), adopted a similar policy.205

Hundredth part (5:11). “The hundredth part” (mē ʾâ) literally means the “hundred” pieces of silver. But in the context it must mean one percent of interest (i.e., per month) or, as the Vulgate translates it, centesiman pecuniae.

From the twentieth year … until his thirty-second year (5:14). Nehemiah served his first term as governor for twelve years before being recalled to court (13:6), after which he returned for a second term of indeterminate length. Provincial governors normally assessed the people in their provinces for their support (e.g., “food allotted to the governor”). But Nehemiah, like Paul, bent over backward and sacrificed even what was normally his due to serve as an example to the people (cf. 1 Cor. 9; 2 Thess. 3:8).

Earlier governors (5:15). “Governors” is the plural of peḥâ (also the same in Aram.), which is used of Sheshbazzar (Ezra 5:14), Zerubbabel (Hag. 1:1, 14; 2:2), and various Persian officials (e.g., Ezra 5:3, 6; 6:6–7, 13; 8:36; Neh. 2:7, 9; 3:7). K. Galling believed that Judah did not have governors before Nehemiah and suggested that this refers to governors of Samaria.206 New archaeological evidence, however, confirms that the reference is to previous governors of Judah. Naḥam Avigad has interpreted a collection of bullae (seal impressions) as yielding the names of some of the governors prior to Nehemiah.207

Some poultry (5:18). “Poultry” (ṣipporîm, “birds”) were domesticated in the Indus River valley by 2000 B.C. and was brought to Egypt by the reign of Thutmose III (fifteenth cent. B.C.). Poultry were known in Mesopotamia and Greece by the eighth century. The earliest evidence in Palestine is the celebrated seal of Jaazaniah (dated ca. 600 B.C.), which depicts a fighting cock.

Jaazaniah Seal

Z. Radovan/www.BibleLandPictures.com

Remember me with favor (5:19). Some have suggested that Nehemiah’s memoirs were inscribed as a memorial set up in the temple (cf. 13:14, 22, 31). According to Sirach 17:22, “One’s almsgiving is like a signet ring with the Lord, and he will keep a person’s kindness as the apple of the eye” (cf. Heb. 6:10).

Stele of Udjahorresnet

Marco Prins/www.livius.org, courtesy of the Vatican Museum

A parallel to Nehemiah’s prayer is found in Nebuchadnezzar II’s prayer to his god: “O Marduk, my lord, do remember my deeds favorably as good [deeds], may (these) my good deeds be always before your mind.”208 An even more striking parallel is appositely cited by Blenkinsopp from the stele of Udjahorresnet:

I was a good man in my city, rescuing my people from the very great turmoil which happened throughout the entire land…. I protected the weak against the powerful; I rescued the timid person when it was his turn to suffer; I did for them whatever was to their advantage when the time came to act on their behalf…. O great gods who are in Sais! Remember all the useful things accomplished by the chief physician Udjahorresnet! May you do for him whatever is useful and make his name endure in this land forever!209