Deuteronomy 24:10

10 "When you make any kind of loan to your neighbor, you are not to enter his house to take his collateral.

Deuteronomy 24:10 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 24:10

When thou dost lend thy brother anything
Any sum of money he stands in need of, or demanded a debt of him, as Jarchi; money he is indebted to thee, which is the sense of the Septuagint version; and he is not able to pay it, but offers something: in pawn till he can pay it:

thou shall not go into his house to fetch his pledge;
which would be an exercise of too much power and authority, to go into a neighbour's house, and take what was liked; and besides, as no doubt he would take the best, so he might take that which the poor man could not spare: and indeed, according to the Jewish canons ^F11, he could not take any pledge at all, but with the knowledge, and by the leave, of the sanhedrim, or court of judicature.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 9. sect. 13.

Deuteronomy 24:10 In-Context

8 "When there is an outbreak of tzara'at, be careful to observe and do just what the cohanim, who are L'vi'im, teach you. Take care to do as I ordered them.

9 Remember what ADONAI your God did to Miryam on the road after you left Egypt.

10 "When you make any kind of loan to your neighbor, you are not to enter his house to take his collateral.

11 You must stand outside, and the borrower will bring the collateral outside to you.

12 If he is poor, you are not to go to bed with what he gave as collateral in your possession;