The prohibition of “usury” in the Bible

It is a common misconception among non-believers that the world of God and the world of money do not intersect. Actually most religions handled economic issues. The Bible has over 1,000 verses that discuss money and provide financial advice.

The prohibition against usury (compound interest) is not confined to the Qur’an, but is also found in the Bible. The Bible is very explicit in its disapproval of usury. The book of Ezekiel, for instance, compares usurious lending to extortion and murder for hire, and threatens major hellfire for those who practice it.

Jesus expelling the money changers from the Temple

The following are taken from the King James version of the Bible :

25 ” If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest.

26 “If you ever take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down.

27 “For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious. (Exodus 22:25-27)

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

37 ‘You shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit. (Leviticus 25:36-37)

19 ” You shall not charge interest to your brother — interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest.
(Deuteronomy 23:20)

10 Woe is me, my mother, That you have borne me, A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent for interest, Nor have men lent to me for interest. Every one of them curses me. (Jeremiah 15:10)

7 If he has not oppressed anyone, But has restored to the debtor his pledge; Has robbed no one by violence, But has given his bread to the hungry And covered the naked with clothing;

8 If he has not exacted usury Nor taken any increase, But has withdrawn his hand from iniquity And executed true judgment between man and man;

9 If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully — He is just; He shall surely live!” Says the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 18:7-9)

13 If he has exacted usury Or taken increase — Shall he then live? He shall not live! If he has done any of these abominations, He shall surely die; His blood shall be upon him. (Ezekiel 18:13)

17 Who has withdrawn his hand from the poor And not received usury or increase, But has executed My judgments And walked in My statutes — He shall not die for the iniquity of his father; He shall surely live! (Ezekiel 18:17)

12 “In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,” says the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 22:12)

Source : WhatReallyHappened – WRH

« L’islam aide, en ce moment, la tradition chrétienne à renaître et à reprendre son rôle vital contre la déshumanisation de l’homme occidental. »
Maria Poumier

Spécialiste de l’histoire et de la littérature latino-américaine et traductrice, Maria Poumier a été maître de conférences à l’université de La Havane puis à l’Université de Paris VIII.  Ses thèmes de recherche s’articulent autour de sujets comme Cuba, l’Amérique Latine, l’histoire et la littérature des XIXe-XXe siècles. Elle est traductrice de nombreux ouvrages.