How did Nehemias respond to the debt complaints and describe his own use of office?

A severe economic crisis arose in Judea as common people and their wives raised an outcry against their Jewish brethren. Large families lacked grain to survive, while others were forced by famine to mortgage their fields, vineyards, and houses to secure food. Some had borrowed money to pay the royal tribute owed to the Persian king, pledging their lands as security. They said that their sons and daughters were forced into servitude, with several daughters already enslaved, leaving parents powerless while creditors held their ancestral properties.

When Nehemias heard their complaint, he became deeply indignant and pondered the matter privately before rebuking the nobles and magistrates for charging usury to their fellow countrymen. Convening a large public assembly, he reminded the leaders that the community had diligently bought back Jewish brethren sold to the Gentiles, asking whether they now intended to sell their own brothers back into bondage. After the rulers fell silent without defense, Nehemias urged them to walk in the fear of God to prevent reproach from neighboring Gentile enemies. He offered to forgive the loans of grain and money that he, his family, and his servants had provided, and commanded the creditors to restore immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the hundredth part of the money, grain, wine, and oil they had exacted. The leaders pledged to return the properties and demand nothing further. Nehemias then summoned the priests to administer a binding oath, shook out the fold of his garment, and proclaimed that God would shake out of his house and possessions anyone who broke this promise. The assembly answered Amen, praised God, and fulfilled the agreement.

Throughout his twelve-year term as governor of Juda, from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, Nehemias and his associates refused the annual food allowance traditionally allotted to the office. Previous governors had burdened the populace by taking bread, wine, and forty sicles each day, while their subordinate officers oppressed the inhabitants, but Nehemias avoided such practices out of reverence for God. Instead of acquiring personal real estate, he committed all his servants to rebuilding the city wall. He hosted one hundred and fifty Jews and magistrates at his table alongside visitors from neighboring regions, providing daily meals of an ox, six choice rams, poultry, and diverse wines every ten days without requiring the governor’s yearly allowance. Because the population suffered severe poverty, he declined the governor's regular revenue, praying that God would remember him with favor for what he had done for the people.