Nehemiah 5:11

Verse Nehemiah 5:11. Also the hundredth part of the money] Houbigant contends,

1. That the word מאת meath, which we and the Vulgate translate one hundredth part, never means so anywhere; and

2. That it would have answered no end to have remitted to people so distressed merely the one hundredth part of the money which had been taken from them by usury.

He understands מאת meath as signifying the same as מן את min eth, contracted into מאת meeth, a preposition and demonstrative particle joined together, also a part FROM THE money. Neither the Syriac, Septuagint, nor Arabic acknowledges this hundredth part. Some think that the hundredth part is that which they obliged the poor debtors to pay each month, which would amount to what we would call twelve per cent. interest for the money lent, or the debt contracted. See the introduction.