Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.
Don't charge your fellow Israelite interest on money you lend him, and don't try to make a profit from him. Instead, respect and honor God, so that your brother can survive and live alongside you.
God is telling His people not to charge interest when lending money to fellow believers who are struggling, but instead to help them with reverence for God so they can get back on their feet.
📚 Historical Context
This command was part of God's laws for how Israelites should treat each other economically, especially when fellow Israelites fell into poverty. In ancient times, charging interest (usury) on loans often trapped poor people in cycles of debt they could never escape. God wanted His people to show mercy and community care rather than profit from others' misfortune.
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