Deuteronomy 23:19-20
“You shall not lend on interest to your brother: interest of money, interest of food, interest of anything that is lent on interest. You may lend on interest to a foreigner; but to your brother you shall not lend on interest, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land where you go in to possess it.”
Deuteronomy is presented as Moses' farewell address to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the promised land. It reiterates and expands upon laws given earlier, aiming to establish a just society rooted in their covenant with God.
How might a community balance the practical needs of commerce with the ethical imperative to care for its most vulnerable members?