Leviticus 25:35-37
Debt and Slave Regulations
35 “‘If your brother ▼▼ It is not clear to whom this refers. It is probably broader than “sibling” (cf. NRSV “any of your kin”; NLT “any of your Israelite relatives”) but some English versions take it to mean “fellow Israelite” (so TEV; cf. NAB, NIV “countrymen”) and others are ambiguous (cf. CEV “any of your people”).
becomes impoverished and is indebted to you, ▼▼ Heb “and his hand slips with you.”
you must support ▼▼ Heb “strengthen”; NASB “sustain.”
him; he must live ▼ with you like a foreign resident. ▼▼ Heb “a foreigner and resident,” which is probably to be combined (see B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 170–71).
36Do not take interest or profit from him, ▼▼ The meaning of the terms rendered “interest” and “profit” is much debated (see the summaries in P. J. Budd, Leviticus [NCBC], 354–55 and B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 178). Verse 37, however, suggests that the first refers to a percentage of money and the second percentage of produce (see J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 421).
but you must fear your God and your brother must live ▼ with you. 37You must not lend him your money at interest and you must not sell him food for profit. ▼
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