Deuteronomy 23:19You shall not lend on interest to your brother; interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest:
The setting
Plains of Moab, ~1400 BC. Moses establishes economic laws for the agricultural society they're about to become in Canaan...
The emotion here: passionate about protecting the poor from exploitation
The original word
nešek (נשך) — interest that 'bites' like a serpent, from verb meaning 'to bite'
Why it matters
This only applied to fellow Israelites — they could charge interest to foreigners for business loans
Read with care
What most readers miss in Deuteronomy 23:19
'Brother' here means fellow Israelite, not blood relative — it was about protecting the covenant community
Common misconceptionPeople think this forbids all interest or banking, but it specifically protected poor Israelites from predatory lending within the covenant community.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Deuteronomy 23:19
Bible Genome reading
Deuteronomy 23:19 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Deuteronomy 23:19 comes from the book of Deuteronomy, written during the exodus period. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the law genre of biblical literature. Key themes include brotherhood, economic justice, generosity. Notable phrases: not lend on interest; to your brother. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Deuteronomy 23:19 mean to you, today?
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