Reference: Debt
Easton
The Mosaic law encouraged the practice of lending (De 15:7; Ps 37:26; Mt 5:42); but it forbade the exaction of interest except from foreigners. Usury was strongly condemned (Pr 28:8; Eze 18:8,13,17; 22:12; Ps 15:5). On the Sabbatical year all pecuniary obligations were cancelled (De 15:1-11). These regulations prevented the accumulation of debt.
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At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD'S release. read more. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release; Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it: Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day. For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee. If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. read more. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Hastings
DEBT
1. In OT.
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If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof:
Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:
When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.
The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.
Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. read more. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.
And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him.
Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?
Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;