Exodus 22:25

“If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, etc,] 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…”

“See the notes at Leviticus 25:35-43; compare Deuteronomy 23:19. return to 'Top of Page'”

“If thou lend - They must not receive use for money from any that borrowed for necessity. And such provision the law made for the preserving estates to their families by the year of Jubilee, that a people who had little concern in trade could not be supposed to borrow money but for necessity; therefore it was generally forbidden among themselves; but to a stranger they were allowed to lend upon usury. This law therefore in the strictness of it seems to have been peculiar to the Jewish state; but in the equity of it, it obligeth us to shew mercy to those we have advantage against, and to be content to share with those we lend to in loss as well as profit, if Providence cross them: and upon…”

“22:25-27 Although interest could not be charged on a loan to another Israelite, collateral, or security, could be required. However, even the security had to be handled in a humane way. The requirements of the covenant mirrored the character of God.”

“Lev 25:35-37; Deu 23:19, Deu 23:20; Kg2 4:1, Kg2 4:7; Neh 5:2-5, Neh 5:7, Neh 5:10, Neh 5:11; Psa 15:5; Pro 28:8; Jer 15:10; Eze 18:8, Eze 18:17; Mat 25:27; Luk 19:23 Exodus 22:26”

“If a man should lend to one of the poor of his own people, he was not to oppress him by demanding interest; and if he gave his upper garment as a pledge, he was to give it him back towards sunset, because it was his only covering; as the poorer classes in the East use the upper garment, consisting of a large square piece of cloth, to sleep in. "It is his clothing for his skin:" i.e., it serves for a covering to his body. "Wherein shall he lie?" i.e., in what shall be wrap himself to sleep? (cf. Deu 24:6, Deu 24:10-13). \- With Exo 22:28. God directs Himself at once to the hearts of the Israelites, and attacks the sins of selfishness and covetousness, against which the precepts in Exo…”