USURY (it,4), Tkos), a contract for the loan of money, to be returned again with exorbitant in crease. By the laws of Moses the Israelites were forbidden to take usury from their brethren upon the loan of money, victuals, or anything else, not, it has been observed by Michaelis, as if he abso lutely and in all cases condemned the practice, for he expressly permitted interest to be taken from strangers, but only out of favour to the poorer classes. In other words, he did not mean to re present that the taking of interest for the loan of money was in itself sinful and unjust ; but as at that period the Israelites were comparatively a poor people and strangers to commerce, they bor rowed, not with a view to profit, but from poverty, and in order to procure the common necessaries of life. It would therefore have been a hardship to have exacted from them more than was lent. The Israelites were, however, permitted to take usury from strangers, from the Canaanites, and other people devoted to subjection. This was one
of the many means they adopted for oppressing and ruining the Canaanites who remained in the land. After the return of the Jews from captivity, they were required by Nehemiah to leave off this usury,' and to restore to their brethren what they had exacted from them—‘ their lands, their vine yards, their olive-yards, and their houses ; also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil ' (Neh. v. to, t). Our Saviour denounced all extortion, and promulgated a new law of love and forbearance :—‘ Give to every man that asketh of thee, and of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again." Love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again ' (Luke vi. 3o, 35).—G. M. B.