Deuteronomy 23:19
“You shall not lend on interest to your brother; interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest.”
What does Deuteronomy 23:19 mean?
In ancient Israel, lending was understood as an act of community care, not a transaction meant to profit from someone's hardship. When a neighbor fell on hard times and needed to borrow, charging interest would only deepen their debt and make escape from poverty nearly impossible. This law protected the vulnerable by saying that within the faith community, lending should be an act of mercy rather than a money-making opportunity. The repetition here (money, food, anything) emphasizes that this principle applies across all situations, not just certain cases. While modern economies work differently than ancient agrarian societies, the heart of this teaching still speaks: there's something fundamentally different about helping someone in need than about profiting from their need.