Deuteronomy 24:10

10 When thou dost lend thy brother anything, thou shalt not go into his house to secure his pledge.

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 Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou take great heed, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them shall ye take heed to do.

9 Remember what Jehovah thy God did unto Miriam on the way, after that ye came forth out of Egypt.

10 When thou dost lend thy brother anything, thou shalt not go into his house to secure his pledge.

11 Thou shalt stand outside, and the man to whom thou hast made a loan shall bring out the pledge to thee without.

12 And if the man be needy, thou shalt not lie down with his pledge;