23:19 You must not charge interest on a loan to your fellow Israelite, 3 whether on money, food, or anything else that has been loaned with interest.
1 tn Heb “if it answers you peace.”
2 tn Heb “become as a vassal and will serve you.” The Hebrew term translated slaves (מַס, mas) refers either to Israelites who were pressed into civil service, especially under Solomon (1 Kgs 5:27; 9:15, 21; 12:18), or (as here) to foreigners forced as prisoners of war to become slaves to Israel. The Gibeonites exemplify this type of servitude (Josh 9:3-27; cf. Josh 16:10; 17:13; Judg 1:28, 30-35; Isa 31:8; Lam 1:1).
3 tn Heb “to your brother” (likewise in the following verse). Since this is not limited to actual siblings, “fellow Israelite” is used in the translation (cf. NAB, NASB “countrymen”).
4 tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “certainly.”
5 tn Heb “to go there to possess it.”