Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

The people and their wives cried out against their Jewish brethren. Some said, "We have many sons and daughters; we must take grain to feed them." Others had mortgaged their lands, vineyards, and houses to buy grain during the famine. They'd borrowed money for the king's tribute and it was all on their properties.

"We're in a desperate situation," they pleaded. "Our flesh is no different from our brothers'; our children are just like theirs. We've been forced to bring our sons and daughters into bondage as servants, and some of our girls have already been sold. But we can't even redeem them because other men own our lands and vineyards." I was consumed with anger when I heard their cries and these words.

I called a meeting with the nobles and rulers and rebuked them, saying, "You're charging interest from each of your brothers!" Then I gathered a large assembly against them. We'd already been using our own resources to buy back our Jewish brethren who had been sold to other nations. Should you sell your own brothers? They were silent, unable to justify their actions.

I told them it was wrong what they were doing and that they should respect God out of reverence for him, lest the Gentiles, our enemies, mock us. My brothers and I could have demanded money and grain from them, but instead we asked them to stop this extortion. "Let's give back to them today their lands, vineyards, olive groves, and homes," I said. "And return a hundredth part of the money, grain, wine, and oil you've taken from them."

We'd do exactly as they said, I promised. To seal our agreement, I called upon the priests to take an oath that we would fulfill this promise. Then I took a symbolic action, shaking out my lap and saying, "May God shake out of every house and labor anyone who fails to keep their word." The entire congregation echoed in agreement, praising God as they carried out their commitment according to our pact.

During the twelve years I served as governor in Judah, from King Artaxerxes' twentieth year until his thirty-second, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor's food. Unlike my predecessors, who exploited the people, taking bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver from them, I treated them with respect.

I focused on rebuilding the wall, working alongside my servants without exploiting anyone by buying land. At my table were a hundred and fifty Jews and officials, as well as guests from surrounding areas. Each day, we enjoyed an ox, six choice sheep, birds, and once every ten days, a variety of wines.

Despite my wealth, I didn't take the governor's allowance because the burden on this people was so heavy. So I prayed, "Remember me, God, for all the good I've done for these people."