¹³ Also I shook out the folds of my ·robe [^Lbosom] and said, “In this way may God shake out everyone who does not ·keep his [fulfill/^Lcause to stand this] promise. May God shake him out of his house and ·out of the things that are his [his possessions/property]. Let that person be shaken out and emptied!”

Then the whole ·group [assembly] said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. So the people did what they had ·promised [sworn; vowed].

¹⁴ I was appointed governor in the land of Judah in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ rule [^C445 bc]. I was governor of Judah for twelve years, until his thirty-second year. During that time neither my ·brothers [colleagues; relatives; or officials] nor I ate the food that was allowed for a governor [^CNehemiah is demonstrating his own selflessness during this time]. ¹⁵ But the governors before me [^Cin contrast] had placed a heavy ·load [burden] on the people. They took ·about one pound [^Lforty shekels] of silver from each person, along with food and wine. ·The governors’ helpers before me [Their associates/assistants] also ·controlled [oppressed; dominated] the people, but I did not do that, because I feared God [Prov. 1:7].