| Easton's Bible Dictionary The sum paid for the use of money, hence interest; not, as in the modern sense, exorbitant interest. The Jews were forbidden to exact usury (Leviticus 25:36, 37), only, however, in their dealings with each other (Deuteronomy 23:19, 20). The violation of this law was viewed as a great crime (Psalm 15:5; Proverbs 28:8; Jeremiah 15:10). After the Return, and later, this law was much neglected (Nehemiah 5:7, 10). Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The practice of lending money at an excessive rate of interest. 2. (v. t.) Interest in excess of a legal rate charged to a borrower for the use of money. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia USURY u'-zhu-ri:
1. In the Old Testament:
The Hebrew law concerning exaction of interest upon loans was very humane. Hebrews were to lend to their brethren without interest (Exodus 22:25 Leviticus 25:36 Deuteronomy 23:19 f). This, however, did not apply to a stranger (Deuteronomy 23:20). Two stems are used in the Old Testament, rendered in the King James Version "usury," in the Revised Version (British and American) better rendered "interest":
(1) verb nashah (Exodus 22:25 Isaiah 24:2 Jeremiah 15:10), and the noun form, mashsha' (Nehemiah 5:7, 10);
(2) a stronger and more picturesque word, nashakh, "to bite," "to vex," and so "to lend on interest" (Deuteronomy 23:19, 20); noun form neshekh (Exodus 22:25 Leviticus 25:36 Psalm 15:5 Proverbs 28:8 Ezekiel 18:8, 13, 17; Ezekiel 22:12).
It would be easy to go from a fair rate of interest to an unfair rate, as seen in the history of the word "usury," which has come to mean an exorbitant or unlawful interest. Abuses arose during the exile. Nehemiah forced the people after the return to-give back exactions of "one hundredth," or 1 percent monthly which they took from their brethren (Nehemiah 5:10; compare Ezekiel 22:12). A good citizen of Zion is one who did not put out his money to usury (Psalm 15:5). One who is guilty of this comes to disaster (Proverbs 28:8).
2. In the New Testament:
The Greek word is tokos, literally, "offspring," interest springing out of the principal. Money lenders were numerous among the Jews in Christ's day, and, in the parable of the Talents, He represents the lord of the unprofitable servant as rebuking the sloth in the words, "I should have received mine own with interest" (Matthew 25:27 Luke 19:23 the Revised Version (British and American)).
Edward Bagby Pollard |  | Multi-Version Concordance Usury (17 Occurrences) Matthew 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. (KJV) Luke 19:23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? (KJV) Exodus 22:25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. (KJV WBS YLT) Leviticus 25:36 Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. (KJV DBY YLT) Leviticus 25:37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. (KJV DBY YLT) Deuteronomy 23:19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: (KJV YLT) Deuteronomy 23:20 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. (KJV YLT) Nehemiah 5:7 Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, You exact usury, everyone of his brother. I held a great assembly against them. (WEB KJV ASV DBY YLT NAS NIV) Nehemiah 5:10 I likewise, my brothers and my servants, do lend them money and grain. Please let us leave off this usury. (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV) Nehemiah 5:11 Please restore to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that you exact of them. (See NIV) Psalms 15:5 he who doesn't lend out his money for usury, nor take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be shaken. (WEB KJV DBY WBS YLT NIV) Proverbs 28:8 He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. (KJV DBY WBS YLT NAS) Jeremiah 15:10 Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me. (KJV DBY WBS YLT) Ezekiel 18:8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, (KJV DBY YLT NIV) Ezekiel 18:13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him. (KJV DBY YLT NIV) Ezekiel 18:17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. (KJV DBY YLT NIV) Ezekiel 22:12 In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD. (KJV DBY YLT NIV) |
