Chapter 54—A Rebuke Against Extortion
This chapter is based on
Nehemiah 5
.
The wall of Jerusalem had not yet been completed when Ne-
hemiah’s attention was called to the unhappy condition of the poorer
classes of the people. In the unsettled state of the country, tillage had
been to some extent neglected. Furthermore, because of the selfish
course pursued by some who had returned to Judea, the Lord’s blessing
was not resting upon their land, and there was a scarcity of grain.
In order to obtain food for their families, the poor were obliged to
buy on credit and at exorbitant prices. They were also compelled to
raise money by borrowing on interest to pay the heavy taxes imposed
upon them by the kings of Persia. To add to the distress of the poor, the
more wealthy among the Jews had taken advantage of their necessities,
thus enriching themselves.
The Lord had commanded Israel, through Moses, that every third
year a tithe be raised for the benefit of the poor; and a further provision
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had been made in the suspension of agricultural labor every seventh
year, the land lying fallow, its spontaneous products being left to
those in need. Faithfulness in devoting these offerings to the relief
of the poor and to other benevolent uses would have tended to keep
fresh before the people the truth of God’s ownership of all, and their
opportunity to be channels of blessing. It was Jehovah’s purpose that
the Israelites should have a training that would eradicate selfishness,
and develop breadth and nobility of character.
God had also instructed through Moses: “If thou lend money to
any of My people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as
an usurer.” “Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of
money, usury of victuals, usury of anything that is lent upon usury.”
Exodus 22:25
;
Deuteronomy 23:19
. Again He had said, “If there be
among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates
in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden
thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: but thou shalt
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