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Wednesday, August 20th, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Bible in Basic English

Deuteronomy 23:20

From men of other nations you may take interest, but not from an Israelite: so that the blessing of the Lord your God may be on everything to which you put your hand, in the land which you are about to take as your heritage.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Aliens;   Creditor;   Interest;   Lending;   Strangers;   Usury;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Creditors;   Strangers in Israel;   Usury or Interest;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Loans;   Usury;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Lending;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Money;   Wealth;   Work;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Usury;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Custom;   Loan;   Stranger;   Usury;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Banking;   Interest;   Loan;   Usury;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   Leviticus;   Poverty;   Usury, Interest, Increase;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Trade and Commerce;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Usury;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bank;   Borrowing;   Debt;   Foreigner;   Hand;   Interest;   Lend;   Neighbor;   Stranger and Sojourner (in the Old Testament);   Trade;   Usury;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Commerce;   Moses of Paris;   Sidra;   Usury;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
You may charge a foreigner interest, but you must not charge your brother Israelite interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in everything you do in the land you are entering to possess.
Hebrew Names Version
to a foreigner you may lend on interest; but to your brother you shall not lend on interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
You may lend on interest to the foreigner, but to your countryman you may not lend on interest, so that Yahweh your God may bless you in all your undertakings in the land where you are going, in order to take possession of it.
English Standard Version
You may charge a foreigner interest, but you may not charge your brother interest, that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.
New Century Version
You may charge foreigners, but not fellow Israelites. Then the Lord your God will bless everything you do in the land you are entering to take as your own.
New English Translation
You may lend with interest to a foreigner, but not to your fellow Israelite; if you keep this command the Lord your God will bless you in all you undertake in the land you are about to enter to possess.
Amplified Bible
"You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your fellow Israelite you shall not charge interest, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to possess.
New American Standard Bible
"You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your countrymen you shall not charge interest, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to possess.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Vnto a stranger thou mayest lend vpon vsurie, but thou shalt not lend vpon vsurie vnto thy brother, that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in all that thou settest thine hand to, in the land whither thou goest to possesse it.
Legacy Standard Bible
You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your brother you shall not charge interest, so that Yahweh your God may bless you in all that you send forth your hand to do in the land which you are about to enter to possess.
Contemporary English Version
You can charge a foreigner interest. But if you charge other Israelites interest, the Lord your God will not let you be successful in the land you are about to take.
Complete Jewish Bible
"You are not to lend at interest to your brother, no matter whether the loan is of money, food or anything else that can earn interest.
Darby Translation
of a foreigner thou mayest take interest, but of thy brother thou shalt not take interest; that Jehovah thy God may bless thee in all the business of thy hand in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
Easy-to-Read Version
You may charge interest to a foreigner. But you must not charge interest to another Israelite. If you follow these rules, the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do in the land where you are going to live.
George Lamsa Translation
To a foreigner you may lend with interest; but to your brother you shall not lend with interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all that you set your hand to in the land which you shall go in to possess.
Good News Translation
You may charge interest on what you lend to foreigners, but not on what you lend to Israelites. Obey this rule, and the Lord your God will bless everything you do in the land that you are going to occupy.
Literal Translation
To a stranger you may lend at interest , but you shall not lend at interest to your brother, so that Jehovah your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go to possess it.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
(Vnto a strauger thou maiest lende vpo vsury, but not vnto thy brother) yt the LORDE thy God maye blesse the in all yt thou takest in hade, in the lode whither thou commest in to possesse it.
American Standard Version
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Unto a straunger thou mayest lend vpon vsurie, but not vnto thy brother: that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in all that thou settest thyne hande to in the lande whyther thou goest to possesse it.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Thou shalt not lend upon interest to thy brother: interest of money, interest of victuals, interest of any thing that is lent upon interest.
King James Version (1611)
Unto a stranger thou maiest lend vpon vsury, but vnto thy brother thou shalt not lend vpon vsury: that the Lord thy God may blesse thee, in all that thou settest thine hand to, in the land whither thou goest to possesse it.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Thou mayest lend on usury to a stranger, but to thy brother thou shalt not lend on usury; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all thy works upon the land, into which thou art entering to inherit it.
English Revised Version
unto a foreigner 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 puttest thine hand unto, in the land whither thou goest in to possess it.
Berean Standard Bible
You 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 you are entering to possess.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
nethir ony othir thing, but to an alien. Forsothe thou schalt leene to thi brothir without vsure that that he nedith, that thi Lord God blesse thee in al thi werk, in the lond to which thou schalt entre to welde.
Young's Literal Translation
To a stranger thou mayest lend in usury, and to thy brother thou dost not lend in usury, so that Jehovah thy God doth bless thee in every putting forth of thy hand on the land whither thou goest in to possess it.
Update Bible Version
to a foreigner you may lend on interest; but to your brother you shall not lend on interest, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it.
Webster's Bible Translation
To a stranger thou mayest lend upon interest; but to thy brother thou shalt not lend upon interest; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thy hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
World English Bible
to a foreigner you may lend on interest; but to your brother you shall not lend on interest, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it.
New King James Version
To a foreigner you may charge interest, but to your brother you shall not charge interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all to which you set your hand in the land which you are entering to possess.
New Living Translation
You may charge interest to foreigners, but you may not charge interest to Israelites, so that the Lord your God may bless you in everything you do in the land you are about to enter and occupy.
New Life Bible
You may make a stranger pay you for the use of money, but not your brother. So the Lord your God may bring good to you in all you do in the land you are going into to have for your own.
New Revised Standard
On loans to a foreigner you may charge interest, but on loans to another Israelite you may not charge interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all your undertakings in the land that you are about to enter and possess.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
to a foreigner, thou mayest lend on interest, but to thy brother, shalt thou not lend on interest, - that Yahweh thy God may bless thee, in everything where-unto thou puttest thy hand, upon the land which thou art entering to possess.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But to the stranger. To thy brother thou shalt lend that which he wanteth, without usury: that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all thy works in the land, which thou shalt go in to possess.
Revised Standard Version
To a foreigner you may lend upon interest, but to your brother you shall not lend upon interest; that the LORD your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are entering to take possession of it.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your countrymen you shall not charge interest, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to possess.

Contextual Overview

15 Do not give back to his master a servant who has gone in flight from his master and come to you: 16 Let him go on living among you in whatever place is most pleasing to him: do not be hard on him. 17 No daughter of Israel is to let herself be used as a loose woman for a strange god, and no son of Israel is to give himself to a man. 18 Do not take into the house of the Lord your God, as an offering for an oath, the price of a loose woman or the money given to one used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods: for these two things are disgusting to the Lord your God. 19 Do not take interest from an Israelite on anything, money or food or any other goods, which you let him have: 20 From men of other nations you may take interest, but not from an Israelite: so that the blessing of the Lord your God may be on everything to which you put your hand, in the land which you are about to take as your heritage. 21 When you take an oath to the Lord, do not be slow to give effect to it: for without doubt the Lord your God will make you responsible, and will put it to your account as sin. 22 But if you take no oath, there will be no sin. 23 Whatever your lips have said, see that you do it; for you gave your word freely to the Lord your God. 24 When you go into your neighbour's vine-garden, you may take of his grapes at your pleasure, but you may not take them away in your vessel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a stranger: Deuteronomy 14:21, Deuteronomy 15:3, Leviticus 19:33, Leviticus 19:34

that the: Deuteronomy 15:10, Proverbs 19:17, Isaiah 1:19, Luke 14:14, 1 Corinthians 15:58

Reciprocal: Exodus 22:14 - borrow Exodus 22:25 - General Leviticus 25:36 - usury Nehemiah 5:7 - Ye exact usury Psalms 15:5 - putteth Jeremiah 15:10 - I have Ezekiel 18:8 - hath not Matthew 25:27 - with Luke 19:23 - usury

Cross-References

Genesis 23:7
And Abraham got up and gave honour to the children of Heth, the people of that land.
Genesis 23:10
Now Ephron was seated among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite gave Abraham his answer in the hearing of the children of Heth, and of all those who came into his town, saying,
Genesis 23:14
So Ephron said to Abraham,
Genesis 25:9
And Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, put him to rest in the hollow rock of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, near Mamre;
Genesis 50:5
My father made me take an oath, saying, When I am dead, put me to rest in the place I have made ready for myself in the land of Canaan. So now let me go and put my father in his last resting-place, and I will come back again.
Genesis 50:13
For they took him into the land of Canaan and put him to rest in the hollow rock in the field of Machpelah, which Abraham got with the field, for a resting-place, from Ephron the Hittite at Mamre.
2 Samuel 24:24
And the king said to Araunah, No, but I will give you a price for it; I will not give to the Lord my God burned offerings for which I have given nothing. So David got the grain-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
2 Kings 21:18
So Manasseh went to rest with his fathers, and was put into the earth in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza; and Amon his son became king in his place.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury,.... To any Gentile, though some Jewish writers except the Edomites and Ishmaelites, as being brethren, and restrain it to the seven nations of Canaan; but it seems to design one that was not an Israelite, or a proselyte of righteousness, and especially to regard such that traded and merchandised, as the Gentiles very much did, and especially their neighbours the Phoenicians; and of such it was lawful to take interest, as it was but reasonable, when they gained much by the money they lent them, and as it is but reasonable should be the case among Christians in such circumstances; this is to be regarded not as a precept, but as a permission:

but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury; which is repeated, that it might be taken notice of, and carefully observed:

that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand unto, in the land whither thou goest to possess it; for their charity, humanity, and the kind usage of their poor brethren in distress, would not pass unnoticed by the Lord; but he would make the land they tilled fruitful, and their vineyards and oliveyards to produce abundance, and their flocks and their herds to increase greatly, which would be sufficient and more than a recompence for all that they had freely lent unto their brethren, without taking any usury of them.


 
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