Borrowing
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [1]
Borrowing . See Debt.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Borrow
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament [3]
BORROWING. —See Loans.
Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature [4]
On the general subject, as a matter of law or precept, see Loan.
In Exodus 12:35, we are told that the Israelites, when on the point of their departure from Egypt, 'borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment;' and it is added, that 'the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.' This was in pursuance of a Divine command which had been given to them through Moses ( Exodus 3:22; Exodus 11:2). This has suggested a difficulty, seeing that the Israelites had certainly no intention to return to Egypt, or to restore the valuables which they thus obtained from their Egyptian 'neighbors.' The general acceptation of the word rendered borrow is to request or demand, and some have affirmed that it should be so rendered here—that the Israelites did not borrow the valuables, but demanded them of their Egyptian neighbors, as an indemnity for their services, and for the hard and bitter bondage which they had endured. To this it has been objected, that the Israelites had been public servants, rendering certain onerous services to the state, but not in personal bondage to individual Egyptians, whom, nevertheless, they, according to this account, mulcted of much valuable property in compensation for wrongs committed by the state. And that this mode of extorting private and partial compensation for public wrong will not stand the test of our rules of public morality, any more than that of borrowing without the intention to restore. Others are inclined to adhere to the old interpretation, that the Israelites actually did borrow the valuables of the Egyptians, with the understanding, on the part of the latter, that they were to be restored. Turn which way we will in this matter, there is but a choice of difficulties; and this leads us to suspect that we are not acquainted with all the facts bearing on the case, in the absence of which we spend our strength for nought in laboring to explain it. One of the difficulties is somewhat softened by the conjecture of Professor Bush, who, in his Note on Exodus 11:2, observes, 'We are by no means satisfied that Moses was required to command the people to practice the device here mentioned. We regard it rather, as far as they were concerned, as the mere prediction of a fact that should occur.'
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [5]
bor´ō - ing :
(1) In the Old Testament period loans were not of a commercial nature, i.e. they were not granted to enable a man to start or run a business. They were really a form of charity, and were made by the lender only to meet the pressure of poverty. To the borrower they were esteemed a form of misfortune ( Deuteronomy 28:12 f), and by the lender a form of beneficence. Hence, the tone of the Mosaic legislation on the subject.
(2) Laying interest upon the poor of Israel was forbidden in all the codes (see Exodus 22:25 (JE); Deuteronomy 23:19; Leviticus 25:36 H), because it was looked upon as making unwarranted profit out of a brother's distress: "If thou lend money to any of my people with thee that is poor, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest ... and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious."
(3) The Law, however, allowed interest to be taken of a foreigner, or non-Jew ( Deuteronomy 23:20 : "Unto a foreigner thou mayest lend upon interest"; compare Deuteronomy 15:3 ); and even among Jews pledges were allowed under limitations, or taken against the law ( Deuteronomy 24:10; compare Job 24:2 , Job 24:3 "There are that remove the landmarks ... they take the widow's ox for a pledge"). In Deuteronomy 15:1 there is a remarkable law providing a "release" by the creditor every "seven years," a "letting drop of loans" (see Driver in the place cited.). In Exodus 3:22 , the King James Version "shall borrow" is rendered "shall ask" in the Revised Version (British and American).
