Borrowed Money

Borrowed money or as today ‘print more money’.
[Neh. 5:4] There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.
The dearth (lack ) which might happen, from the multitude of the people in their work, which wholly took them up, and kept them from taking care of their families, and from the expectation of their enemies invasion, which hindered them from going abroad to fetch provision, and the people round about from bringing it to them.
To survive means borrowing money, but in order to secure the loan one must offer one’s property for collateral.
The times they lived in were hard as it is in every generation. There was a dearth of corn, probably for want of rain, with which G-d had chastised their neglect of His house (Hag. 1:9-11) and the non-payment of their tithes-dues, Malachi 3:9, 10. Thus foolish sinful men bring G-d's judgments upon themselves and then fret and complain of them. When the markets are high, and provisions scarce and dear, the poor soon feel from it, and are pinched by it. Blessed be G-d for the mercy, and G-d deliver us from the sin, of fullness of bread, Ez. 16:49. That which made the scarcity here complained of the more grievous was that their sons and their daughters were many.
As corn was dear, so the taxes were high; the king's tribute must be paid. This mark of their captivity still remained upon them. Perhaps it was a poll-money that was required, and then, their sons and their daughters being many, it rose the higher. The more they had to maintain (a hard case!) the more they had to pay. Now, it seems, they had not wherewithal of their own to buy corn and pay taxes, but were necessitated to borrow. The straits of poor housekeepers, who make hard shift to get an honest livelihood, and sometimes want what is fitting for them and their families, are well worthy the compassionate consideration of those who either with their wealth or with their power is in a capacity to help them.
The clamors of the poor are not always just, while we sit down and look:
1. With a gracious compassion upon the oppressed, and lament the hardships which many in the world are groaning under; putting our souls into their souls' stead, and remembering in our prayers and succors those that are burdened, as burdened with them.
2. With a gracious indignation at the oppressors, and hatred of their pride and cruelty, who drink the tears, the blood, of those they have under their feet. But let those who show no mercy expect judgment without mercy.
Liken onto our ‘Uncle Sam’ today for seniors and disable victims. Uncle Sam is compelled to sell them for their subsistence.
For those who are very poor, the collateral had to be their children.