Text: Deuteronomy 23:19-20
OT Text Referred to: Exodus 22:25
Subject: interest prohibition on loans to Israelites
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Reference Type: Allusion
Connection Method(s): None
Significance: Exodus 22:25 prohibits charging interest (נֶשֶׁךְ, neshekh, literally "a bite") on loans to the poor among God's people. Deuteronomy 23:19-20 broadens and clarifies this prohibition: "You must not charge your brother interest on money, food, or anything else that may be lent with interest" but permits charging interest to a foreigner (נָכְרִי, nokhri). This distinction between brother and foreigner reveals the covenantal basis of the interest prohibition—within the covenant community, lending must express solidarity rather than profit, while commercial transactions with outsiders follow different norms. Deuteronomy also expands the categories from Exodus's focus on money to include food and any lendable goods.