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1. Then there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.
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1. And there was H1961 a great H1419 cry H6818 of the people H5971 and of their wives H802 against H413 their brethren H251 the Jews H3064 .
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2. There were those who said, "With our sons and daughters, we are many. We must obtain grain in order to eat and stay alive."
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2. For there were H3426 that H834 said H559 , We H587 , our sons H1121 , and our daughters H1323 , are many H7227 : therefore we take up H3947 corn H1715 for them , that we may eat H398 , and live H2421 .
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3. There were others who said, "We are putting up our fields, our vineyards, and our houses as collateral in order to obtain grain during the famine."
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3. Some also there were H3426 that H834 said H559 , We H587 have mortgaged H6148 our lands H7704 , vineyards H3754 , and houses H1004 , that we might buy H3947 corn H1715 , because of the dearth H7458 .
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4. Then there were those who said, "We have borrowed money to pay our taxes to the king on our fields and our vineyards.
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4. There were H3426 also that H834 said H559 , We have borrowed H3867 money H3701 for the king H4428 's tribute H4060 , and that upon our lands H7704 and vineyards H3754 .
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5. And now, though we share the same flesh and blood as our fellow countrymen, and our children are just like their children, still we have found it necessary to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have been subjected to slavery, while we are powerless to help, since our fields and vineyards now belong to other people."
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5. Yet now H6258 our flesh H1320 is as the flesh H1320 of our brethren H251 , our children H1121 as their children H1121 : and, lo H2009 , we H587 bring into bondage H3533 H853 our sons H1121 and our daughters H1323 to be servants H5650 , and some of our daughters H4480 H1323 are H3426 brought unto bondage H3533 already : neither H369 is it in our power H410 H3027 to redeem them ; for other H312 men have our lands H7704 and vineyards H3754 .
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6. I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints.
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6. And I was very H3966 angry H2734 when H834 I heard H8085 H853 their cry H2201 and these H428 words H1697 .
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7. I considered these things carefully and then registered a complaint with the wealthy and the officials. I said to them, "Each one of you is seizing the collateral from your own countrymen!" Because of them I called for a great public assembly.
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7. Then I consulted H4427 with H5921 myself H3820 , and I rebuked H7378 H853 the nobles H2715 , and the rulers H5461 , and said H559 unto them, Ye H859 exact H5378 usury H4855 , every one H376 of his brother H251 . And I set H5414 a great H1419 assembly H6952 against H5921 them.
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8. I said to them, "To the extent possible we have bought back our fellow Jews who had been sold to the Gentiles. But now you yourselves want to sell your own countrymen, so that we can then buy them back!" They were utterly silent, and could find nothing to say.
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8. And I said H559 unto them, We H587 after our ability H1767 have redeemed H7069 H853 our brethren H251 the Jews H3064 , which were sold H4376 unto the heathen H1471 ; and will ye H859 even H1571 sell H4376 H853 your brethren H251 ? or shall they be sold H4376 unto us? Then held they their peace H2790 , and found H4672 nothing H3808 H1697 to answer .
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9. Then I said, "The thing that you are doing is wrong! Should you not conduct yourselves in the fear of our God in order to avoid the reproach of the Gentiles who are our enemies?
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9. Also I said H559 , It is not H3808 good H2896 H1697 that H834 ye H859 do H6213 : ought ye not H3808 to walk H1980 in the fear H3374 of our God H430 because of the reproach H4480 H2781 of the heathen H1471 our enemies H341 ?
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10. Even I and my relatives and my associates are lending them money and grain. But let us abandon this practice of seizing collateral!
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10. I H589 likewise H1571 , and my brethren H251 , and my servants H5288 , might exact H5383 of them money H3701 and corn H1715 : I pray H4994 you , let us leave off H5800 H853 this H2088 usury H4855 .
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11. This very day return to them their fields, their vineyards, their olive trees, and their houses, along with the interest that you are exacting from them on the money, the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil."
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11. Restore H7725 , I pray H4994 you , to them , even this day H3117 , their lands H7704 , their vineyards H3754 , their oliveyards H2132 , and their houses H1004 , also the hundredth H3967 part of the money H3701 , and of the corn H1715 , the wine H8492 , and the oil H3323 , that H834 ye H859 exact H5383 of them.
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12. They replied, "We will return these things, and we will no longer demand anything from them. We will do just as you say." Then I called the priests and made the wealthy and the officials swear to do what had been promised.
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12. Then said H559 they , We will restore H7725 them , and will require H1245 nothing H3808 of H4480 them; so H3651 will we do H6213 as H834 thou H859 sayest H559 . Then I called H7121 H853 the priests H3548 , and took an oath H7650 of them , that they should do H6213 according to this H2088 promise H1697 .
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13. I also shook out my garment, and I said, "In this way may God shake out from his house and his property every person who does not carry out this matter. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!" All the assembly replied, "So be it!" and they praised the LORD. Then the people did as they had promised.
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13. Also H1571 I shook H5287 my lap H2684 , and said H559 , So H3602 God H430 shake out H5287 H853 every H3605 man H376 from his house H4480 H1004 , and from his labor H4480 H3018 , that H834 performeth H6965 not H3808 H853 this H2088 promise H1697 , even thus H3602 be H1961 he shaken out H5287 , and emptied H7386 . And all H3605 the congregation H6951 said H559 , Amen H543 , and praised H1984 H853 the LORD H3068 . And the people H5971 did H6213 according to this H2088 promise H1697 .
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14. From the day that I was appointed governor in the land of Judah, that is, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes� twelve years in all� neither I nor my relatives ate the food allotted to the governor.
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14. Moreover H1571 from the time H4480 H3117 that H834 I was appointed H6680 to be H1961 their governor H6346 in the land H776 of Judah H3063 , from the twentieth H6242 year H4480 H8141 even unto H5704 the two H8147 and thirtieth H7970 year H8141 of Artaxerxes H783 the king H4428 , that is , twelve H8147 H6240 years H8141 , I H589 and my brethren H251 have not H3808 eaten H398 the bread H3899 of the governor H6346 .
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15. But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God.
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15. But the former H7223 governors H6346 that H834 had been before H6440 me were chargeable H3513 unto H5921 the people H5971 , and had taken H3947 of H4480 them bread H3899 and wine H3196 , beside H310 forty H705 shekels H8255 of silver H3701 ; yea H1571 , even their servants H5288 bore rule H7980 over H5921 the people H5971 : but so H3651 did H6213 not H3808 I H589 , because H4480 H6440 of the fear H3374 of God H430 .
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16. I gave myself to the work on this wall, without even purchasing a field. All my associates were gathered there for the work.
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16. Yea, also H1571 I continued H2388 in the work H4399 of this H2063 wall H2346 , neither H3808 bought H7069 we any land H7704 : and all H3605 my servants H5288 were gathered H6908 thither H8033 unto H5921 the work H4399 .
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17. There were 150 Jews and officials who dined with me routinely, in addition to those who came to us from the nations all around us.
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17. Moreover there were at H5921 my table H7979 a hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 H376 of the Jews H3064 and rulers H5461 , beside those that came H935 unto H413 us from among H4480 the heathen H1471 that H834 are about H5439 us.
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18. Every day one ox, six select sheep, and some birds were prepared for me, and every ten days all kinds of wine in abundance. Despite all this I did not require the food allotted to the governor, for the work was demanding on this people.
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18. Now that which H834 was H1961 prepared H6213 for me daily H3117 H259 was one H259 ox H7794 and six H8337 choice H1305 sheep H6629 ; also fowls H6833 were prepared H6213 for me , and once H996 in ten H6235 days H3117 store H7235 of all H3605 sorts of wine H3196 : yet for all H5973 this H2088 required H1245 not H3808 I the bread H3899 of the governor H6346 , because H3588 the bondage H5656 was heavy H3513 upon H5921 this H2088 people H5971 .
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19. Please remember me for good, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.
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19. Think H2142 upon me , my God H430 , for good H2896 , according to all H3605 that H834 I have done H6213 for H5921 this H2088 people H5971 .
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