_AND THERE WAS A GREAT CRY OF THE PEOPLE AND OF THEIR WIVES AGAINST THEIR BRETHREN THE JEWS._ There was a great cry of the people ... against their brethren. Such a crisis in the condition of the Jews in Jerusalem-fatigued with hard labour, and harassed by the machinations of restless enemies, the... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR THERE WERE THAT SAID, WE, OUR SONS, AND OUR DAUGHTERS, ARE MANY: THEREFORE WE TAKE UP CORN FOR THEM, THAT WE MAY EAT, AND LIVE._ NO JFB COMMENTARY ON THESE VERSES.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND I WAS VERY ANGRY WHEN I HEARD THEIR CRY AND THESE WORDS._ I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. When such disorders came to the knowledge of the governor, his honest indignation was roused against the perpetrators of the evil; and, having summoned a public assembly, he denou... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN I CONSULTED WITH MYSELF, AND I REBUKED THE NOBLES, AND THE RULERS, AND SAID UNTO THEM, YE EXACT USURY, EVERY ONE OF HIS BROTHER. AND I SET A GREAT ASSEMBLY AGAINST THEM._ No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 YE EXACT OF THEM._ Restore, I pray you, to them ... their lands, their vineyards ... also the hundredth... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN SAID THEY, WE WILL RESTORE THEM, AND WILL REQUIRE NOTHING OF THEM; SO WILL WE DO AS THOU SAYEST. THEN I CALLED THE PRIESTS, AND TOOK AN OATH OF THEM, THAT THEY SHOULD DO ACCORDING TO THIS PROMISE._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ALSO I SHOOK MY LAP, AND SAID, SO GOD SHAKE OUT EVERY MAN FROM HIS HOUSE, AND FROM HIS LABOUR, THAT PERFORMETH NOT THIS PROMISE, EVEN THUS BE HE SHAKEN OUT, AND EMPTIED. AND ALL THE CONGREGATION SAID, AMEN, AND PRAISED THE LORD. AND THE PEOPLE DID ACCORDING TO THIS PROMISE._ Also I shook my lap, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_MOREOVER FROM THE TIME THAT I WAS APPOINTED TO BE THEIR GOVERNOR IN THE LAND OF JUDAH, FROM THE TWENTIETH YEAR EVEN UNTO THE TWO AND THIRTIETH YEAR OF ARTAXERXES THE KING, THAT IS, TWELVE YEARS, I AND MY BRETHREN HAVE NOT EATEN THE BREAD OF THE GOVERNOR._ MOREOVER FROM THE TIME THAT I WAS APPOINTED... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT THE FORMER GOVERNORS THAT HAD BEEN BEFORE ME WERE CHARGEABLE UNTO THE PEOPLE, AND HAD TAKEN OF THEM BREAD AND WINE, BESIDE FORTY SHEKELS OF SILVER; YEA, EVEN THEIR SERVANTS BARE RULE OVER THE PEOPLE: BUT SO DID NOT I, BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF GOD._ The former governors ... had taken of them brea... [ Continue Reading ]
_YEA, ALSO I CONTINUED IN THE WORK OF THIS WALL, NEITHER BOUGHT WE ANY LAND: AND ALL MY SERVANTS WERE GATHERED THITHER UNTO THE WORK._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_MOREOVER THERE WERE AT MY TABLE AN HUNDRED AND FIFTY OF THE JEWS AND RULERS, BESIDE THOSE THAT CAME UNTO US FROM AMONG THE HEATHEN THAT ARE ABOUT US._ Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews. In the East it has been always customary to calculate the expense of a king's or... [ Continue Reading ]