You asked

how does this law relate to other old testament laws about lending, like in exodus or leviticus?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Deuteronomy 15:7-8

“If there is with you a poor man, one of your brothers, within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother; but you shall open your hand wide to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wants.”

This passage is part of Moses' address to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Deuteronomy often re-states and elaborates on laws given earlier, emphasizing the importance of communal responsibility and justice within the new society they are about to establish.

What does it look like to truly open your hand wide to someone in need today, beyond simply meeting their immediate request?

Then — the setting

Deuteronomy is presented as Moses' farewell address to the Israelites in the 7th century BCE, although scholars debate its final literary formation. This law is addressed to an agrarian society where debt could easily lead to slavery. Unlike some surrounding Ancient Near Eastern cultures that had elaborate interest-bearing loan systems and debt slavery, Israelite law aimed to prevent its own people from falling into permanent poverty and servitude through debt, especially among fellow Israelites. The laws fostered a sense of communal responsibility and sought to mitigate extreme economic disparities within the tribal system.

Across the Testaments

This passage is from the Old Testament, specifically the Law given to Israel. The New Testament affirms the spirit of generosity and care for the poor, often deepening its application. Jesus' teachings (e.g., Matthew 25:31-46) extend the concept of 'your poor brother' to anyone in need, even strangers, and often links care for the poor with discipleship itself. While the specific legal framework of not charging interest to fellow Israelites is not explicitly re-enacted for Christians, the underlying ethical imperative to care for the vulnerable and to practice radical generosity persists, transcending national boundaries and focusing on internal spiritual disposition (e.g., 2 Corinthians 9:7).

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Exodus 22:25
This earlier law prohibits charging interest on loans to fellow Israelites who are poor.
Leviticus 25:35-37
This passage reinforces the obligation to support impoverished Israelites, including by lending without interest.
Proverbs 28:27
This wisdom literature proverb connects giving to the poor with abundance and turning away from them with curses.

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