Nehemiah’s Generosity

Nehemiah says that through twelve years as governor he refuses the allowance earlier governors had taken and devotes himself to the wall without acquiring land. He leads without feeding on the office.

F¹⁴urthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (twelve years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. ¹⁵The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people. But I did not do this, because of my fear of God. ¹⁶Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my servants were gathered there for the work; we did not acquire any land.

Though many eat at his table and his household provides generously, Nehemiah still does not claim what the governor could demand because the people’s burden is already heavy. He closes by asking God to remember him for the good he has done.

¹⁷There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations. ¹⁸Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was provided. But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy. ¹⁹Remember me favorably, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.