When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.
The law forbids a lender who lends anything to his brother to go into his house to fetch his pledge, requiring him to stand outside in the street while the borrower brings the pledge out to him, and in this way it guards the borrower's home and dignity. When the pledge is the garment or essential clothing of a poor man, given as security for a debt, it must be returned to its owner at nightfall and must not be kept overnight, whatever the circumstances, so that what he needs for covering and sleep is protected. The rule enjoins a very tender, fair and considerate regard for the poor in lending, meaning that business transactions must not enrich one person by oppressing another or by taking advantage of misfortune, weakness or poverty, but must put oneself in the other's place.
The verse belongs to the plan of life and the principles God gave to Israel as an object lesson for all mankind, showing how the suffering and needy are to be helped and provided with a home and food, which if carried out and put into practice today would make the world different. In the days of Christ these merciful provisions for borrowers were little regarded. Christ's commands to let one who sues for the coat have the cloak also and to go two miles when compelled to go one call disciples to discharge every obligation and to submit to the decisions of the courts even when what is demanded is more than the law of Moses authorized, even surrendering more than the court had authority to seize.
The law forbids a lender who lends anything to his brother to go into his house to fetch his pledge, requiring him to stand outside in the street while the borrower brings the pledge out to him, and in this way it guards the borrower's home and dignity. When the pledge is the garment or essential clothing of a poor man, given as security for a debt, it must be returned to its owner at nightfall and must not be kept overnight, whatever the circumstances, so that what he needs for covering and sleep is protected. The rule enjoins a very tender, fair and considerate regard for the poor in lending, meaning that business transactions must not enrich one person by oppressing another or by taking advantage of misfortune, weakness or poverty, but must put oneself in the other's place.
The verse belongs to the plan of life and the principles God gave to Israel as an object lesson for all mankind, showing how the suffering and needy are to be helped and provided with a home and food, which if carried out and put into practice today would make the world different. In the days of Christ these merciful provisions for borrowers were little regarded. Christ's commands to let one who sues for the coat have the cloak also and to go two miles when compelled to go one call disciples to discharge every obligation and to submit to the decisions of the courts even when what is demanded is more than the law of Moses authorized, even surrendering more than the court had authority to seize.