Reference: LOANS
American
Jehovah, as the sole proprietor of the land occupied by the Jews, required them, as one condition of its use, to grant liberal loans to their poor brethren; and every seven years, the outstanding loans were to become gifts, and could not be reclaimed. If a pledge was taken on making a loan, it must be done with mercy and under certain benevolent restrictions, Ex 22:25,27; De 15:1-11; 23:19-20; 24:6,10-13,17. The great truth so prominent in this and similar features of the Mosaic laws, ought to be restored to its fundamental place in our theories of property; and no one who believes in God should act as the owner, but only as the steward of what he possesses, all of which he is to use as required by its great Owner. In the same spirit, our Savior enjoins the duty of loaning freely, even to enemies, and without hope of reward, Lu 6:34-35.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
If you let any of the poor among my people have the use of your money, do not be a hard creditor to him, and do not take interest.
For it is the only thing he has for covering his skin; what is he to go to sleep in? and when his cry comes up to me, I will give ear, for my mercy is great.
At the end of every seven years there is to be a general forgiveness of debt. This is how it is to be done: every creditor is to give up his right to whatever he has let his neighbour have; he is not to make his neighbour, his countryman, give it back; because a general forgiveness has been ordered by the Lord. read more. A man of another nation may be forced to make payment of his debt, but if your brother has anything of yours, let it go; But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will certainly give you his blessing in the land which the Lord your God is giving you for your heritage; If only you give ear to the voice of the Lord your God, and take care to keep all these orders which I give you today. For the Lord your God will give you his blessing as he has said: you will let other nations have the use of your money, but you will not make use of theirs; you will be rulers over a number of nations, but they will not be your rulers. If in any of your towns in the land which the Lord your God is giving you, there is a poor man, one of your countrymen, do not let your heart be hard or your hand shut to him; But let your hand be open to give him the use of whatever he is in need of. And see that there is no evil thought in your heart, moving you to say to yourself, The seventh year, the year of forgiveness is near; and so looking coldly on your poor countryman you give him nothing; and he will make an outcry to the Lord against you, and it will be judged as sin in you. But it is right for you to give to him, without grief of heart: for because of this, the blessing of the Lord your God will be on all your work and on everything to which you put your hand. For there will never be a time when there are no poor in the land; and so I give orders to you, Let your hand be open to your countrymen, to those who are poor and in need in your land.
Do not take interest from an Israelite on anything, money or food or any other goods, which you let him have From men of other nations you may take interest, but not from an Israelite: so that the blessing of the Lord your God may be on everything to which you put your hand, in the land which you are about to take as your heritage.
No one is to take, on account of a debt, the stones with which grain is crushed: for in doing so he takes a man's living.
If you let your brother have the use of anything which is yours, do not go into his house and take anything of his as a sign of his debt; But keep outside till he comes out and gives it to you. read more. If he is a poor man, do not keep his property all night; But be certain to give it back to him when the sun goes down, so that he may have his clothing for sleeping in, and will give you his blessing: and this will be put to your account as righteousness before the Lord your God.
Be upright in judging the cause of the man from a strange country and of him who has no father; do not take a widow's clothing on account of a debt:
And if you let those have the use of your money, from whom you are hoping to get it back, what credit is it to you? even sinners do so to sinners, hoping to get back as much as they gave. But be loving to those who are against you and do them good, and give them your money, not giving up hope, and your reward will be great and you will be the sons of the Most High: for he is kind to evil men, and to those who have hard hearts.