Deuteronomy 24:10-13
“When you lend your neighbor any kind of loan, you shall not go into his house to get his pledge. You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you lend shall bring the pledge out to you. If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. You shall restore to him the pledge when the sun goes down, that he may sleep in his garment, and bless you. It shall be righteousness to you before Yahweh your God.”
This passage is part of a larger collection of laws given to the people of Israel by Moses, intended to establish a just and compassionate society as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. It sets forth specific rules regarding lending and the treatment of the poor, reflecting a concern for basic human dignity.
What systems or practices in our modern world create vulnerabilities for those in need of a loan, and how might we address them?