Éxodo 22:25

25 Si dieres a mi pueblo dinero prestado, al pobre que está contigo, no te portarás con él como usurero, ni le impondrás intereses

Éxodo 22:25 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 22:25

If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee,
&c,] Such only need to borrow money, and to whom it should be freely lent, when it may be to the good of the borrower, and not any injury to the lender: this law, according to the Jewish writers, only respects Israelites, and not Gentiles; agreeably to which is Jarchi's note,

``if thou lend, that is, not to a Gentile; and to which of my people? the poor, and to which of the poor? that is with thee:''

thou shalt not be to him as an usurer;
that will not lend without usury, nor without an exorbitant interest, and deals very hardly with the borrower if he is not punctual in the payment of it; the Israelites were not only not to be usurers, but they were not to be like them; they were not to require anything for lending a poor man a little money; as not any settled interest, so neither were they to take any previous gift or reward later, see ( Luke 6:34 Luke 6:35 )

neither shalt thou lay upon him usury;
or oblige him to give interest for money borrowed: it is in the plural, number, "neither shall ye lay"; and Aben Ezra observes, that the lender, scribe, and witness, all transgress this law; that is, when a man lends money on interest, and a bond is made by the scribe for it, and this signed by witnesses, all are guilty of the breach of it: yea, some Jewish writers ^F8 say, not only those, but whoever is a surety or bondsman for the payment, and even the borrower himself, (See Gill on Psalms 15:5).

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Misn. Bava Metzia, c. 5. sect. 11. Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.

Éxodo 22:25 In-Context

23 Que si tú llegas a afligirle, y él a mí clamare, ciertamente oiré yo su clamor

24 y mi furor se encenderá, y os mataré a espada, y vuestras mujeres serán viudas, y huérfanos vuestros hijos

25 Si dieres a mi pueblo dinero prestado, al pobre que está contigo, no te portarás con él como usurero, ni le impondrás intereses

26 Si tomares en prenda el vestido de tu prójimo, a puestas del sol se lo devolverás

27 porque sólo aquello es su cubierta, es aquel el vestido para cubrir sus carnes, en el que ha de dormir; y será que cuando él a mí clamare, yo entonces le oiré, porque soy misericordioso