⁶I heard them when they cried out. And I burned with anger when I heard what they were saying. ⁷I thought it over for a while. Then I brought charges against the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are forcing your own people to pay too much interest!”

So I called together a large group of people to handle the matter. ⁸I said, “Our Jewish brothers and sisters were sold to other nations. We’ve done everything we could to buy them back and bring them home. But look at what you are doing! You are actually selling your own people! Now we’ll have to buy them back too!”

The people kept quiet. They couldn’t think of anything to say.

⁹So I continued, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you show respect for our God? Shouldn’t you live in a way that will keep our enemies from making fun of us?

¹⁰“I’m lending the people money and grain. So are my relatives and my men. But you must stop charging too much interest!

¹¹“Give the people’s fields back to them. Give them back their vineyards, olive groves and houses. Do it right away. You have charged them too much. Give everything back to them. Give them back the one percent on the money, grain, fresh wine and olive oil you have charged them.”

¹²“We’ll give it back,” they said. “And we won’t require anything more from them. We’ll do exactly as you say.”

Then I sent for the priests. I made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised. ¹³I also shook out my pockets and emptied them. I said, “Some of you might decide not to keep the promise you have made. If that happens, may God shake you out of your house! May he empty you of everything you own! May you be left with nothing at all!”

The whole community said, “Amen.” They praised the Lord. And the leaders did what they had promised to do.

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