In Nehemiah, chapter five, verse six, the anger of Nehemiah at injustice and evil was godly anger. The absence of such anger indicates an indifference to the suffering of the innocent and needy.
Nehemiah arrived recently and had not known this state of things. The fact he was rebuilding the wall in chapters three and four, the scriptures did not state the whereabouts of Nehemiah at the time of the problem with the unjust inequities among his people. He was grieved exceedingly at this sin of the nobles.
Nehemiah’s indignation was excited at the excessive usury, which his brethren and servants required in Nehemiah five, verse ten, but still more at the degree to which overlooking Isreal in days of common peril and of which the sale of the people for debt in verse eight, and the alienation of the poor man’s inheritance in verse eleven were the worst symptoms.
Nehemiah had to restrain the emotions of his mind, being afraid to do anything in a fit of anger or vexation, and coolly consider and deliberate privately what was the best solution for this situation. The men who were the moneyed folks, and whose power, perhaps, made them bold to oppress and attempt to take advantage of their people, which was against the plain and positive law of God, as in Deuteronomy twenty-three, verses nineteen through twenty. Nehemiah called a public congregation, both of the rulers and people, the big part was free from this guilt, and therefore more impartial judges of the matter, presented to them, that the offenders might be convinced and reformed; if not for fear of God, or love of their brethren, yet at least for the public shame, and the cries of the poor. Nehemiah set new rules and settled the issues. The people responded and praised God.