Deuteronomy 23:20
in Deuteronomy 23You may charge a foreigner interest, but not your brother, so that the LORD your God may bless you in everything to which you put your hand in the land that you are entering to possess.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Unto a foreigner thou mayest lend upon interest; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon interest, that Jehovah thy God may bless thee in all that thou puttest thy hand unto, in the land whither thou goest in to possess it.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Deuteronomy 23
Commentary
4 notes on this verseBy this it appears that usury is not in itself oppressive; for they must not oppress a stranger, and yet might exact usury from him. The performance of the vows wherewith we have bound our souls is here required; and it is a branch of the law of nature,
This site's exposition
Do not charge your brother interest on money
on Deuteronomy 23:19-23
Interest may be charged a foreigner and not a brother. Exodus 22:25 and Leviticus 25:35-37 draw the same line.
This site's exposition
You may charge a foreigner interest
Wesley explains the line by the loan itself. An Israelite borrowed money or food to feed his house in a hard season. A foreigner in trade borrowed to enlarge his business and could share the gain.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury,....
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לַנָּכְרִ֣י | lanakheri | to the foreigner | H5237 → | 45 times |
| תַשִּׁ֔יךְ | tashikh | you will charge interest | H5391 → | 16 times |
| וּלְאָחִ֖יךָ | uleachikha | and to countryman your | H251 → | 630 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תַשִּׁ֑יךְ | tashikh | you will charge interest | H5391 → | 16 times |
| לְמַ֨עַן | lemaan | so that | H4616 → | 272 times |
| יְבָרֶכְךָ֜ | yevarekha | he may bless you | H1288 → | 330 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
| בְּכֹל֙ | bekhol | in every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מִשְׁלַ֣ח | mishlach | <the> undertaking of | H4916 → | 10 times |
| יָדֶ֔ךָ | yadekha | hand your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָאָ֕רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אַתָּ֥ה | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| בָא־ | va'- | [are] about to go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| שָׁ֖מָּה | shamah | there towards | H8033 → | 834 times |
| לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ ס | lerishtah | to take possession of it | H3423 → | 231 times |
לַנָּכְרִ֣יto the foreigner
lanakheriH5237 →45 times
תַשִּׁ֔יךְyou will charge interest
tashikhH5391 →16 times
וּלְאָחִ֖יךָand to countryman your
uleachikhaH251 →630 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
תַשִּׁ֑יךְyou will charge interest
tashikhH5391 →16 times
לְמַ֨עַןso that
lemaanH4616 →272 times
יְבָרֶכְךָ֜he may bless you
yevarekhaH1288 →330 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָGod your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 times
בְּכֹל֙in every
bekholH3605 →5413 times
מִשְׁלַ֣ח<the> undertaking of
mishlachH4916 →10 times
יָדֶ֔ךָhand your
yadekhaH3027 →1618 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָאָ֕רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
אֲשֶׁר־where
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
אַתָּ֥הyou
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
בָא־[are] about to go
va'-H935 →2568 times
שָׁ֖מָּהthere towards
shamahH8033 →834 times
לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ סto take possession of it
lerishtahH3423 →231 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 15:58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
it leads to
- Galatians 6:9
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
- 2 Chronicles 15:7
But as for you, be strong; do not be discouraged, for your work will be rewarded.”
- Hebrews 6:10
For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
- Philippians 2:16
as you hold forth the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
- 1 Corinthians 3:8
He who plants and he who waters are one in purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.
- Galatians 6:9
Through
Luke 14:14and you will be blessed. Since they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
it leads to
- Proverbs 19:17
Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.
- Acts 24:15
and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
- Proverbs 19:17
Through
Deuteronomy 15:10Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything…
it leads to
- Proverbs 22:9
A generous man will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
- Proverbs 22:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Deuteronomy

This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
