Nehemiah 5:13

Also I shooke my lap, and said, So God shake out euery man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, euen thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the Congregation said, Amen, and praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise. Nehemiah 5:13 (KJV)

The passage often quoted as “Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.” does not appear in the Book of Nehemiah or any chapter of the KJV Bible; no verse contains the phrase “shook my lap.”

Nehemiah was a Jewish cupbearer to the Persian King Artaxerxes I. When he learned of the desperate condition of Jerusalem and its ruined walls, he obtained the king’s permission to return and lead the effort to rebuild the city’s fortifications. In Nehemiah 5, the prophet‑leader confronts a serious internal crisis. Many of the poorer residents of Jerusalem were suffering extreme economic hardship, while some wealthier Jews were exploiting them by charging excessive interest, mortgaging fields, vineyards, and homes, and even forcing children into servitude during a famine. This exploitation left many families heavily indebted.

Upon hearing these reports, Nehemiah was deeply distressed. He gathered the nobles and officials (Nehemiah 5:6‑7) and rebuked them for their unjust practices, urging them to remember God’s commandments and to act with compassion toward their fellow Jews. While Nehemiah does not describe a literal “shaking of his lap,” Nehemiah 5:13‑14 records his public admonition of the nobles and officials, calling them to cease their oppression and to restore what had been taken. The community responded positively, agreeing to release the debtors, return confiscated lands and vineyards, and cancel the unlawful debts (Nehemiah 5:11‑12).

The people’s commitment to enact these reforms reflected a collective desire for justice and integrity within the restored community. Their affirmation—“Amen, and praised the LORD”—and their obedience to the promise demonstrate how a covenantal appeal, even when misquoted, can inspire a faithful response when rooted in genuine biblical principles of fairness, mercy, and communal responsibility.