KJV ORIGINAL
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Don't charge interest when you lend to your fellow Israelite—whether you're lending money, food, or anything else that could earn interest.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is telling His people not to take advantage of each other financially by charging interest on loans within their community.
📚 Historical Context
This command was given as Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land, establishing economic laws for their new society. In the ancient Near East, charging high interest rates often trapped people in cycles of poverty and debt slavery. God wanted Israel to be different—a community where people helped rather than exploited each other financially.
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