Deuteronomy 23:19
Thou shalt not lend to thy brother money to usury, nor corn, nor any other thing:
Open Deuteronomy 23:19 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Non fœnerabis fratri tuo ad usuram pecuniam, nec fruges, nec quamlibet aliam rem :
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Οὐκ ἐκτοκιεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου τόκον ἀργυρίου καὶ τόκον βρωμάτων καὶ τόκον παντὸς πράγματος οὗ ἂν ἐκδανίσῃς·
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Deuteronomy 23:20
- לֹא תַשִּׁ֣יךְ לְאָחִ֔יךָ נֶ֥שֶׁךְ כֶּ֖סֶף נֶ֣שֶׁךְ אֹ֑כֶל נֶ֕שֶׁךְ כָּל דָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשָּֽׁךְ
The Fathers on this verse
St Cyprian Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews, Testimony XLVIII
In the thirteenth Psalm: “He that hath not given his money upon usury, and has not received gifts concerning the innocent. He who doeth these things shall not be moved for ever.” Also in Ezekiel: “But the man who will be righteous, shall not oppress a man, and shall return the pledge of the debtor, and shall not commit rapine, and shall give his bread to the hungry, and shall cover the naked, and shall not give his money for usury.” Also in Deuteronomy: “Thou shalt not lend to thy brother with usury of money, and with usury of victuals.”
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Matthew XVI. 28
Seest thou not how great a punishment is appointed for the deed? hearest thou not that even in the old law this is forbidden? But what is the plea of the many? “When I have received the interest, I give to the poor;” one tells me. Speak reverently, O man; God desires not such sacrifices. Deal not subtilly with the law. Better not give to a poor man, than give from that source; for the money that hath been collected by honest labors, thou often makest to become unlawful because of that wicked increase; as if one should compel a fair womb to give birth to scorpions.
St Ambrose On the Duties of the Clergy, Chapter III. The rule given about not seeking one's own gain is established, first by the examples of Christ, next by the meaning of the word, and lastly by the very form and uses of our limbs. Wherefore the writer shows what a crime it is to deprive another of what is useful, since the law of nature as well as the divine law is broken by such wickedness. Further, by its means we also lose that gift which makes us superior to other living creatures; and lastly, through it civil laws are abused and treated with the greatest contempt
20. Why, the very law of the Lord teaches us that this rule must be observed, so that we may never deprive another of anything for the sake of our own advantage. For it says: “Remove not the bounds which thy fathers have set.” It bids a neighbour’s ox to be brought back if found wandering. It orders a thief to be put to death. It forbids the labourer to be deprived of his hire, and orders money to be returned without usury. It is a mark of kindly feeling to help him who has nothing, but it is a sign of a hard nature to extort more than one has given. …