Nehemiah 5:4
King James Version
4 There were also that said,
We have borrowed money for the king's tribute,
and that upon our lands and vineyards.
How are Jews to treat each other?
What did GOD require of them, with regards to money?
Here are His laws, from the Old Testament:
Exodus 22:25-27
King James Version
25 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.
26 If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge,
thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:
27 For that is his covering only,
it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep?
and it shall come to pass,
when he crieth unto me,
that I will hear;
for I am gracious.
Leviticus 25:35-38
King James Version
35 And if thy brother be waxen poor,
and fallen in decay with thee;
then thou shalt relieve him:
yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner;
that he may live with thee.
36 Take thou no usury of him,
or increase:
but fear thy God;
that thy brother may live with thee.
37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury,
nor lend him thy victuals for increase.
38 I am the Lord your God,
which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt,
to give you the land of Canaan,
and to be your God.
Deuteronomy 8:18
King James Version
18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God:
for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth,
that he may establish his covenant
which he sware unto thy fathers,
as it is this day.
Deuteronomy 15:7-11
King James Version
7 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:
8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him,
and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need,
in that which he wanteth.
9 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.
10 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.
11 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.
Deuteronomy 23:19-20
King James Version
19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother;
usury of money,
usury of victuals,
usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:
20 Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury;
but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury:
that the Lord thy God may bless thee
in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land
whither thou goest to possess it.
Deuteronomy 28:12-13
King James Version
12 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.
13 And the Lord shall make thee the head,
and not the tail;
and thou shalt be above only,
and thou shalt not be beneath;
if that thou hearken
unto the commandments of the Lord thy God,
which I command thee this day,
to observe and to do them:
Ezekiel 18:7-9
King James Version
7 And hath not oppressed any,
but hath restored to the debtor his pledge,
hath spoiled none by violence,
hath given his bread to the hungry,
and hath covered the naked with a garment;
8 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,
9 Hath walked in my statutes,
and hath kept my judgments,
to deal truly;
he is just,
he shall surely live,
saith the Lord God.
A WHOLE chapter is also devoted to lending among Jews:
Related material:
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