I Might Exact Money and Corn - Nehemiah 5:10

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said to the people of Judah who were abusing their fellow Jews, “It is not good that you do: ought you not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?”, and in chapter five and verse ten of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “I … might exact of them money and corn”, where we read,

I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: 

I pray you, let us leave off this usury. 

The verse reads, “I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn:” Nehemiah began with the words, “I likewise” or “I, Nehemiah, in a similar manner”, “and my brethren” which means “and my, Nehemiah's, kindred, kinship and relatives”, “and my servants” or “and my, Nehemiah's, slaves, men of servile condition and bondmen”, “might exact of them” which means “also have been a creditor and lender to them, Nehemiah's relatives and servants” “money” or “of silver metal” “and corn” which means “and grain and wheat”. Nehemiah said he could have made himself a lender of silver metal and grain to his relatives and men of servile conditions. 

The verse goes on to say, “I pray you, let us leave off this usury.” Nehemiah continued with the words, “I pray you” or “I, entreat, beseech and adjure you, nobles of Judah”, “let us leave off” which means “allow and permit us, Nehemiah and the people of Judah, to forsake, be loosened from and abandon” “this usury” or “our current lending with interest”. Nehemiah entreated the nobles of Judah to allow themselves to stop their lending with interest. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah how he also was involved in lending money to his relatives and men of servile condition, and he solicited the nobles of Judah to allow themselves to stop being lenders to their fellow Jews. This was a good decision, and we shall see how he and the people respond. God wants us all to humble ourselves, repent of our sins and believe and trust in His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead three days later. When we surrender to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, not only will we be blessed, but others will be blessed in the Kingdom of God as well. 

Next time Nehemiah says, “restore … to them”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".