Choosing generosity over greed (Neh 5:1-13)

Last year, I heard the wife of a pastor brag about the material blessings they have received including a new luxury car gifted by an anonymous donor. The church this couple leads believes that God blesses people of faith materially; the more faith they have, the more blessing. She cited the gift of this car as an illustration of God’s overabundant generosity towards them and was adamant that even though they did not need another car, they would not think of passing it on to someone because how could they give away God’s blessing! Listening to her statement, I wondered how she could not hear her own greed so plainly expressed. While this example is extreme, money in the church is a touchy subject and exploiting others for financial gain can happen in more subtle ways than in the above situation.

In financial straits

The issue in Nehemiah’s time, though not the same, is about taking advantage of others in money matters. The internal problem highlighted here may have stretched over a longer period than the repair work (which lasted less than two months, Neh 6:15). Nevertheless, the restoration effort interrupted agricultural work and may have contributed to financial strain, along with a famine (Neh 5:3).

Some with large families were struggling to feed their many children, others borrowed money from fellow Jews against their property to pay taxes to the Persian authorities, yet others have already lost their land when they defaulted on their loan and had to sell their children as slaves to pay off the debt (Neh 5:2-5). Debt slavery was a common practice and Jews had to release fellow Jews from it after six years’ service (Exod 21:2), no matter how much of the debt was outstanding. However, the arrangement was different for women, who most frequently were married off to the creditor or his son, which became a permanent tie (Exod 21:7-11; see my post Betrothed forever). Given its irreversible nature, it is particularly highlighted in v.5.

Profiting from others’ misery and Nehemiah’s solution

It is sensible, of course, to ask for security against a loan and debt slavery was a legal solution in the ancient world to mitigate utter destitution (the slave owner would provide food and lodging while the debt was paid off in labour). What then is the issue? The emphasis is on one Jew doing this to another, brother to brother (Neh 5:1, 5, 7). Evidently some were rich enough to lend money even in tight times and used this opportunity to acquire land or multiply their servants. To this may have been added the burden of interest on loan.[1]

These rich men never stopped to think that they were taking advantage of their brothers among God’s people. Nehemiah appeals to their compassion referring to a possibly recent project mentioned only here whereby Jews in debt slavery to Gentiles were bought out by fellow Jews (Neh 5:8). How could they now bear to profit from the misery of others and enslave them within the community of faith? Should they not set an example in godliness in front of the Gentile nations around them (Neh 5:9)? What follows is in effect a kind of Jubilee when debts were wiped off, mortgaged lands were returned to the original owners and Jewish slaves were freed (see Leviticus 25).[2] Generosity triumphs over greed in the end and the people praise the Lord (Neh 5:13).

Our due or generosity?

In a Christian context the parallels are not exact, but the underlying issues are similar of taking financial advantage. Some churches put pressure on members to give financially beyond their means and push them into bad debt. In particular cultures, having a feast after the Sunday service is the norm, so that families provide piles of food while their children go hungry during the week. Christian organisations can exploit their staff by expecting long hours of work for little or no pay. During the Covid lockdowns there was news of landlords raising rent when tenants could not move out and it is to be hoped that Christian landlords showed compassion instead. This episode in Nehemiah’s story challenges us not only to think of what is our due and our right, but to show an attitude of generosity to those in need.

---

[1] In Neh 5:7, 10 the Hebrew meaning is debated for what English versions translate as ‘usury’ or ‘lending with interest’. The word here is not the usual one for the above, rather, it means ‘to carry, remove’. Since interest does not feature as an issue in the Jews’ complaint, H.G.M. Williamson and others argue that the meaning is ‘to lend against a pledge or security’. Ezra, Nehemiah, WBC 16 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1985), 233. Likewise, he notes the uncertainty around the meaning of ‘the hundredth’ in Neh 5:11. Possibly, this is the interest rate for one month (1%), i.e. 12% a year. However, the minimum interest rate internationally in the period was 20% and was often higher, so possibly the word simply means ‘interest’ rather than a specific rate. Ibid., 240. Although charging interest to a fellow Israelite was forbidden (e.g. Deut 23:19-20), the passage does not focus on this aspect.

[2] The Year of Jubilee wiped the slate clean and was meant to happen in every 50^th year, though we have little evidence that it was practised in the pre-exilic period. The oath taken in front of priests (Neh 5:12) adds weight to the commitment, since it is in effect taken before God. Added to this is the symbolic shaking out of the front folds of Nehemiah’s garment (Neh 5:13), which acted like pockets. This is in effect a curse on anyone who does not abide by the agreement, a common way to ratify a covenant.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with others.