But the former governors that [had been] before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
Ver. 15. But the former governors] Those that had been between Zerubbabel and Nehemiah; Ezra was no governor. These had been strict in exacting their five pounds a day; or, for the head of every family, so much; besides bread for necessity, and wine for delight. Not so Nehemiah, he would not use his power to over burden those poor whom these usurers oppressed. This he here instanceth for their further conviction.
Yea, even their servants bear rule over the people] Exacting what they please of them. This their masters should have seen to, and not suffered, for the servant's sin is the master's reproach. When Charles V resolved to lay down the empire, some of his courtiers and counsellors advised him to retain still the name and authority of emperor, and to govern the kingdom by his junior officers. His answer to them was, Ah, me praesente ita res administratis, &c., Alas, now that I am among you, things are so ill carried, that ye are complained of by all; what then would you do, if I should not have an eye upon you? and how would you domineer like so many Sultans (the word here used), and follow the administration of justice as a trade only, with an unquenchable and unconscionable desire of gain?
But so did not I, because of the fear of God] The best retentive from sin certainly; a spur to good, a curb from evil. Hence David calleth it a clean fear, Psalms 19:9; and the fear of the Lord is, to depart from evil, saith Solomon. And Aristotle hath this problem, Why are men credited more than other creatures? The answer is, οτι θεους νομιζειν μονον, because man alone holdeth and feareth God; therefore you may trust him. But where this fear is not, no good is to be expected, but the contrary, Genesis 20:11. See Trapp on " Neh 5:9 "