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Contemporary English Version

Deuteronomy 23:20

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.

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.
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.
Bible in Basic English
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.
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 Moses said: When runaway slaves from other countries come to Israel and ask for protection, you must not hand them back to their owners. 16 Instead, you must let them choose which one of your towns they want to live in. Don't be cruel to runaway slaves. 17 Moses said: People of Israel, don't any of you ever be temple prostitutes. 18 The Lord your God is disgusted with men and women who are prostitutes of any kind, and he will not accept a gift from them, even if it had been promised to him. 19 Moses said: When you lend money, food, or anything else to another Israelite, you are not allowed to charge interest. 20 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. 21 Moses said: People of Israel, if you make a sacred promise to give a gift to the Lord , then do it as soon as you can. If the Lord has to come looking for the gift you promised, you will be guilty of breaking that promise. 22 On the other hand, if you never make a sacred promise, you can't be guilty of breaking it. 23 You must keep whatever promises you make to the Lord . After all, you are the one who chose to make the promises. 24 If you go into a vineyard that belongs to someone else, you are allowed to eat as many grapes as you want while you are there. But don't take any with you when you leave.

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
Abraham bowed down
Genesis 23:10
Ephron was sitting there near the city gate, when Abraham made this request, and he answered,
Genesis 23:14
"But sir," the man replied, "the property is worth only four hundred pieces of silver. Why should we haggle over such a small amount? Take the land. It's yours."
Genesis 25:9
His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him east of Hebron in Machpelah Cave that was part of the field Abraham had bought from Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. Abraham was buried there beside his wife Sarah.
Genesis 50:5
Just before my father died, he made me promise to bury him in his burial cave in Canaan. If the king will give me permission to go, I will come back here."
Genesis 50:13
They took him to Canaan and buried him in Machpelah Cave, the burial place Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite.
2 Samuel 24:24
But David answered, "No! I have to pay you what they're worth. I can't offer the Lord my God a sacrifice that I got for nothing." So David bought the threshing place and the oxen for fifty pieces of silver.
2 Kings 21:18
He died and was buried in Uzza Garden near his palace, and his son Amon became king.

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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