“Respect The Poor”
“When you
do lend your brother any thing, you shall not go into his house to fetch his
pledge.” (v.10)
Here we see
a common practice used to secure a loan during this time period. The lender
would secure a pledge (something of value) from the borrower as collateral.
However, to spare a poor man’s shame, to guard against something he could not
spare, and protect against the creditor’s greed, the borrower chose the object
to be pledged.
Furthermore,
in the case of a poor man who had pledged his
cloak, it was to be restored to him before nightfall (v.12-13) – as the poor in
Eastern countries have commonly no other covering for wrapping themselves in
when they would go to sleep.
This
teaches us to consult the comfort and subsistence of others above our own
advantage. By letting the poor debtor sleep in his own raiment, and praise God
for the kindness shown to him, is accounted unto righteousness to the
creditor before the LORD. (v.13)
The
Truth
“One who is
gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, And He will repay him for his good deed.”
(Psalm 19:7)
