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(A)And though these are our own kindred, and our children are as good as theirs, we have had to reduce our sons and daughters to slavery, and violence has been done to some of our daughters! Yet we can do nothing about it, for our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

I was extremely angry when I heard the reasons for their complaint. (B)After some deliberation, I called the nobles and magistrates to account, saying to them, “You are exacting interest from your own kindred!”[a] I then rebuked them severely,

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Footnotes

  1. 5:7 You are exacting interest from your own kindred!: contrary to the Mosaic law (Dt 23:20).

Although we are of the same flesh and blood(A) as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery.(B) Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”(C)

When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!”(D) So I called together a large meeting to deal with them

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