Bible Verses About Lending

"If you loan money to one of my people who is poor, you are not to deal with him as would a creditor; and you are not to charge him interest.

If you take your neighbor's coat as collateral, you are to restore it to him by sundown,

because it is his only garment - he needs it to wrap his body; what else does he have in which to sleep? Moreover, if he cries out to me, I will listen; because I am compassionate.

"'If a member of your people has become poor, so that he can't support himself among you, you are to assist him as you would a foreigner or a temporary resident, so that he can continue living with you.

Do not charge him interest or otherwise profit from him, but fear your God, so that your brother can continue living with you.

Do not take interest when you loan him money or take a profit when you sell him food.

"At the end of every seven years you are to have a sh'mittah.

Here is how the sh'mittah is to be done: every creditor is to give up what he has loaned to his fellow member of the community -he is not to force his neighbor or relative to repay it, because ADONAI's time of remission has been proclaimed.

You may demand that a foreigner repay his debt, but you are to release your claim on whatever your brother owes you.

In spite of this, there will be no one needy among you; because ADONAI will certainly bless you in the land which ADONAI your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess -

if only you will listen carefully to what ADONAI your God says and take care to obey all these mitzvot I am giving you today.

Yes, ADONAI your God will bless you, as he promised you - you will lend money to many nations without having to borrow, and you will rule over many nations without their ruling over you.

"If someone among you is needy, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which ADONAI your God is giving you, you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from giving to your needy brother.

No, you must open your hand to him and lend him enough to meet his need and enable him to obtain what he wants.

Guard yourself against allowing your heart to entertain the mean-spirited thought that because the seventh year, the year of sh'mittah is at hand, you would be stingy toward your needy brother and not give him anything; for then he may cry out to ADONAI against you, and it will be your sin.

Rather, you must give to him; and you are not to be grudging when you give to him. If you do this, ADONAI your God will bless you in all your work, in everything you undertake -

for there will always be poor people in the land. That is why I am giving you this order, 'You must open your hand to your poor and needy brother in your land.'

"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

To an outsider you may lend at interest, but to your brother you are not to lend at interest, so that ADONAI your God will prosper you in everything you set out to do in the land you are entering in order to take possession of it.

"When you make any kind of loan to your neighbor, you are not to enter his house to take his collateral.

You must stand outside, and the borrower will bring the collateral outside to you.

If he is poor, you are not to go to bed with what he gave as collateral in your possession;

rather, you must restore the pledged item at sunset; then he will go to sleep wearing his garment and bless you. This will be an upright deed of yours before ADONAI your God.

Then there arose a great outcry from the common people and their wives against their brothers the [wealthier] Judeans.

Some of them said, "Counting our sons and daughters, there are a lot of us! Allow us to get grain for them, so that we can eat and stay alive."