Restore to Them - Nehemiah 5:11

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? I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury”, and in chapter five and verse eleven of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “restore … to them”, where we read,

Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that you exact of them.

The verse reads, “Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, ...” Nehemiah began with the word, “restore” or “refresh, repair and return”, “I pray you” which means “I, Nehemiah, entreat and plead with you, nobles of Judah”, “to them” or “to the Jewish people who were abused”, “even this day” which means “indeed this particular sunrise to sunset”, “their lands” or “their, the Jewish people who were abused's, plains and fields”, “their vineyards” which means “their, the Jewish people who were abused's, gardens of vines”, “their oliveyards” or “their, the Jewish people who were abused's, trees that bear olive berries”, “and their houses” which means “and their, the Jewish people who were abused's, habitations, abodes and dwelling places”. Nehemiah instructed the nobles of Judah to return the fields, gardens of vines, olive trees and dwelling places to the Jewish people who were subjected to their extortion. 

The verse continues, “... also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that you exact of them.” Nehemiah continued with the words, “also the hundredth part” or “even so and indeed one hundred percent” “of the money” which means “pertaining to the silver metal”, “and of the corn” or “and pertaining to the grain or wheat”, “the wine” which means “the fruit of the vine”, “and the oil” or “and the olive oil” “that you exact of them” which means “that you, nobles of Judah, are lenders and creditors to them, the Jewish people who were abused”. Nehemiah instructed the nobles of Judah to return one hundred percent of the money, wheat, fruit of the vine and olive oil to the people of Judah who were abused because they were as creditors to them. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how Nehemiah began to deal in a practical manner with the nobles of Judah who were creditors. He told them to give back the fields, gardens of vines, olive tree orchards and dwelling places, and he instructed them to return one hundred percent of the money, wheat, fruit of the vine and olive oil that they took from the other people of Judah. God wants us to be kind and compassionate with one another even as He is kind and compassionate with us. He sent His Only Begotten Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and He raised Him from the dead three days later so when we put our faith and trust in Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us to return things to others if we have taken them in a wrong manner and to love them even as He loves us. (See Luke 19:8; John 13:34; 15:12, 17; Romans 13:8; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:11) 

Next time Nehemiah shares how the nobles of Judah say, “we will restore them, and will require nothing of 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".