Nehemiah 5:1

“And there was a great cry of the people, and of their wives, etc.] Those of the poorer sort: against their brethren the Jews; the rich that oppressed them; and this cry or complaint was made to Nehemiah for redress.”

“THE PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF THEIR DEBT, MORTGAGE, AND BONDAGE. (Neh 5:1-5) 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 labor and harassed by the machinations of restless enemies, the majority of them poor, and the bright visions which hope had painted of pure happiness on their return to the land of their fathers being unrealized--must have been very trying to their faith and patience. But, in addition to these vexatious oppressions, many began to sink under a new and more grievous evil. The poor made loud complaints against the rich for taking advantage of their necessities, and grinding them by…”

“5:1-13 Although severe financial problems threatened to derail the wall’s completion (5:1-5), Nehemiah worked out a solution (5:6-13).”

“a great cry: Exo 3:7, Exo 22:25-27; Job 31:38, Job 31:39, Job 34:28; Isa 5:7; Luk 18:7; Jam 5:4 their brethren: Lev 25:35-37; Deu 15:7-11; Act 7:26; Co1 6:6-8 Nehemiah 5:2”

“The people complain of oppression. - Neh 5:1 There arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews, i.e., as appears from what follows ( Neh 5:7), against the nobles and rulers, therefore against the richer members of the community. This cry is more particularly stated in Neh 5:2, where the malcontents are divided into three classes by וישׁ, Neh 5:2, Neh 5:3, Neh 5:4. Neh 5:2 There were some who said: Our sons and our daughters are many, and we desire to receive corn, that we may eat and live. These were the words of those workers who had no property. נקחה (from לקח), not to take by force, but only to desire that corn may be provided. Neh 5:3 Others, who…”