Deuteronomy 23:19

My Notes

What Does Deuteronomy 23:19 Mean?

"Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother." Charging interest to a fellow Israelite is prohibited. The ban covers every category: money, food, anything lent. The prohibition is comprehensive — not just excessive interest but any interest at all when lending to a brother. The next verse (23:20) permits charging interest to foreigners, making the distinction ethnic: brothers get interest-free loans. Strangers don't.

The three categories — usury of money, victuals, and anything — prevent loopholes: you can't avoid the prohibition by charging interest in food instead of money, or in goods instead of currency. Every form of interest on every form of loan to a brother is forbidden.

The principle behind the prohibition is relational: lending to a brother in need should help them, not profit from their distress. When your neighbor is hungry, you don't turn their hunger into your investment opportunity. The loan is an act of brotherhood, not a financial instrument.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What 'interest' — financial, emotional, social — are you charging on help you give?
• 2.How does the no-interest rule prevent the exploitation of the vulnerable?
• 3.What does lending as an act of love rather than a financial transaction look like for you?
• 4.What loopholes are you using to profit from someone's need while technically 'helping'?

Devotional

No interest on loans to your brother. Not money interest. Not food interest. Not interest on anything. When your fellow Israelite needs to borrow, the lending is an act of love — not a financial transaction.

The prohibition targets the exploitation of distress: the person who borrows is already in a vulnerable position. They need what you have. Charging interest means profiting from their need — turning their difficulty into your revenue stream. The Bible says: when your brother is down, help them up. Don't charge them for the hand.

The comprehensiveness — money, food, anything — closes every loophole the creative financial mind might construct. You can't say 'I'll lend money interest-free but charge interest on the grain.' The prohibition extends to everything. The spirit of the law (don't profit from your brother's need) is protected by the letter (no interest on anything).

The foreigner exception (verse 20) creates a distinction some find troubling: why allow interest from strangers but not brothers? The answer is relational: the brother is family. The lending is an expression of kinship. You don't charge your family interest. Commercial lending to outsiders operates by different rules because the relationship is different.

What 'interest' are you charging your brothers — your community, your friends, your family — on the help you provide? Not just financial interest. Emotional interest (expecting repayment in loyalty). Social interest (expecting reciprocal favors). Relational interest (keeping score). The prohibition says: lend to your brother freely. The help is the reward.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture