Bible Verses About The Rich

About that time there was a great outcry from the people and their wives against their fellow Jews.

Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous. We must get grain in order to eat and stay alive.”

Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our homes to get grain during the famine.”

Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards.

We and our children are just like our countrymen and their children, yet we are subjecting our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters are already enslaved, but we are powerless to redeem them because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”

When I heard their outcry and these complaints, I became extremely angry,

and after serious thought I rebuked the nobles and officials, saying, “You are exacting usury from your own brothers!” So I called a large assembly against them

and said, “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish brothers who were sold to foreigners, but now you are selling your own brothers, that they may be sold back to us!” But they remained silent, for they could find nothing to say.

So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our foreign enemies?

I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending the people money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury.

Please restore to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and oil that you have been assessing them.”

“We will restore it,” they replied, “and will require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.” So I summoned the priests and required of the nobles and officials an oath that they would do what they had promised.

I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of His house and possession every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.

Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?

Their descendants are established around them, and their offspring before their eyes.

Their homes are safe from fear; no rod of punishment from God is upon them.

Their bulls breed without fail; their cows bear calves and do not miscarry.

They send forth their little ones like a flock; their children skip about,

singing to the tambourine and lyre and making merry at the sound of the flute.

They spend their days in prosperity and go down to Sheol in peace.

Yet they say to God: ‘Leave us alone! For we have no desire to know Your ways.

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we pray to Him?’

This is the wicked man’s portion from God— the heritage the ruthless receive from the Almighty.

Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.

His survivors will be buried by the plague, and their widows will not weep for them.