Leviticus 25 36

Leviticus 25:36 kjv

Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.

Leviticus 25:36 nkjv

Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you.

Leviticus 25:36 niv

Do not take interest or any profit from them, but fear your God, so that they may continue to live among you.

Leviticus 25:36 esv

Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you.

Leviticus 25:36 nlt

Do not charge interest or make a profit at his expense. Instead, show your fear of God by letting him live with you as your relative.

Leviticus 25 verses

Leviticus 25 36 Meaning

Leviticus 25:36 commands that an Israelite should not charge "usury" or "interest" to a fellow Israelite who has fallen into poverty and needs a loan. The underlying motivation for this command is the "fear of God," meaning reverence and obedience to His covenant. The ultimate goal is that the needy "brother" may continue to live and thrive within the community, maintaining social solidarity and preventing destitution. This law fosters economic justice and compassion within God's chosen people, contrasting with the common exploitative practices of surrounding nations.

Leviticus 25 36 Context

Leviticus chapter 25 details significant economic and social regulations for the nation of Israel, primarily focusing on the Sabbatical Year and the Jubilee Year. These laws underscore God's sovereignty over the land and His people, promoting regular societal reset and preventing permanent poverty and loss of inheritance. The chapter describes how the land is to rest every seventh year (Sabbatical Year) and how ancestral land is to be returned and slaves set free every fiftieth year (Jubilee Year).

Within this larger framework of economic justice and preventing destitution, verses 35-38 specifically address how to treat a fellow Israelite who has become impoverished. It emphasizes supporting a struggling brother as one would support a "sojourner or a foreigner" (Lev 25:35), meaning a person without land or steady means of support. The prohibition against charging usury or interest (Lev 25:36) is part of God's provision for a social safety net, ensuring that basic needs loans (e.g., for food, shelter, or farming supplies due to crop failure) would not further burden or entrap the poor, leading them to deeper servitude or homelessness. The entire chapter reflects God's desire for a compassionate and equitable society that lives in accordance with His holiness and concern for justice.

Leviticus 25 36 Word analysis

• Take no / you shall not charge: (לֹא־תִקַּח – lo’-tiqqaḥ). This is a strong negative command, indicating a direct prohibition. It's an active decision one must make not to engage in such practice.
• usury / interest: (נֶשֶׁךְ – neshek and תַּרְבִּית – tarbit). These two Hebrew words, often paired, describe different forms of gain from lending.
  • Neshek (נֶשֶׁךְ) literally means "bite," implying a harmful, cutting gain. It generally refers to monetary interest, a charge for the use of money itself, which was often predatory for the poor. It implies diminishing the principal from the borrower's side, or gnawing at his resources.
  • Tarbit (תַּרְבִּית) means "increase" or "gain," specifically referring to interest on goods (e.g., food, grain, seed) where more of the same type of commodity would be demanded in repayment than was originally loaned.
  • The combined use prohibits any kind of profit-making from a loan made to a fellow Israelite who is in financial distress, emphasizing the ethical duty to support, not exploit.
• from him / upon him: (מֵאִתּוֹ – me’itto). Refers directly to "your brother," particularly the "poor" brother mentioned in verse 35. The object of the compassion is a fellow member of the covenant community, implying shared responsibility.
• but fear your God: (וְיָרֵאתָ מֵאֱלֹהֶיךָ – we-yare’ta me’eloheykha). This is the underlying theological motivation. "Fear of God" in biblical context means reverence, awe, and submission to God's will. It's a deep respect that leads to obedience, rather than a crippling dread. This phrase serves as a divine sanction, reminding the lender that God Himself is watching and holds them accountable for their actions toward the vulnerable.
• that your brother may live with you: (וְחַי אָחִיךָ עִמָּךְ – we-ḥay aḥika ‘immakh). This clause expresses the divine purpose and desired outcome of the command.
  • "Live" (חַי – ḥay) signifies more than mere physical existence; it means to thrive, subsist, continue, and flourish within the community. It embodies the full life intended by God, free from crushing debt and poverty.
  • "With you" (עִמָּךְ – ‘immakh) emphasizes social cohesion and solidarity. The well-being of the individual is intricately linked to the health of the entire covenant community. It implies mutual dependence and shared destiny among God's people. This outcome promotes the ideal of an integrated society where all members can survive and contribute.

Leviticus 25 36 Bonus Section

• The prohibition in Lev 25:36 (and Deut 23:19) specifically applies to loans made to "your brother," typically understood as a fellow Israelite in need, for subsistence (basic necessities) rather than commercial enterprise. This distinction is crucial for understanding its modern application; it is a law of compassion, not necessarily a blanket prohibition against all forms of interest or ethical investment in a commercial economy where mutual gain is expected.
• This law highlights a crucial difference between the economic model God desired for Israel and the common practices in ancient Near Eastern cultures, which often allowed for high-interest rates, leading to widespread debt slavery. Israel's law was designed to prevent its citizens from falling into such destitution and enslavement, ensuring that "there will be no poor among you" (Deut 15:4), an ideal condition contingent upon full obedience.
• The principles embedded in this verse resonate in the New Testament with Christ's call to sacrificial giving (Luke 6:34-35) and the early church's communal sharing of resources (Acts 2:44-45), reflecting the ongoing spiritual principle of caring for the needy and valuing one another's well-being above personal gain or exploitation.

Leviticus 25 36 Commentary

Leviticus 25:36 is a foundational principle of economic justice within the Mosaic Law, emphasizing a compassionate approach to poverty unique among ancient legal codes. It establishes that financial assistance to a distressed fellow Israelite must be driven by charity and communal solidarity, not by profit. The prohibition against usury or interest on loans to the needy ensured that a brother struggling with immediate needs, such as food or the means to plant his fields, would not fall into an inescapable cycle of debt and bondage.

The command to "fear your God" elevates this social regulation to a divine imperative. Obedience is not merely civil but profoundly spiritual, flowing from reverence for the God who cares for the vulnerable and calls His people to reflect His character of justice and mercy. This command prevents the rich from exploiting the poor, recognizing that all property ultimately belongs to God, and human wealth is to be stewarded in line with divine principles. The ultimate aim—"that your brother may live with you"—underscores the Law's commitment to preserving the dignity and viability of every individual within the covenant community, ensuring their right to subsistence and maintaining the social fabric without permanent class divides driven by predatory lending. This verse highlights a theological principle: the community is responsible for its most vulnerable members.