Arcana Coelestia # 9211
9211. 'You shall not charge him interest' means that therefore it must not be done for the sake of gain to be acquired from it. This is clear from the meaning of 'charging someone interest' as doing good for the sake of gain, dealt with immediately above in 9210, at this point not doing it for the sake of gain since it says 'you shall not charge him interest'. From this law about increase and interest the situation with the laws the Israelite people had which were called 'judgements' can be seen. That is, it can be seen that they came to an end along with the sacrifices and every other ritual observance, when the Lord came into the world and disclosed the more internal things within acts of worship, and in general the more internal things of the Word. The more internal things within that law are that good done to the neighbour should come from the heart, and that people should believe that there is no merit at all in deeds which spring from self, only in deeds which spring from the Lord present with them. For only the Lord has earned merit, and only He is righteousness; and when a person believes this he does not attach any merit or reward at all to deeds springing from self but ascribes all good deeds to the Lord. And since the Lord in His Divine mercy is the real doer of that good the person ascribes everything to mercy alone. So it is also that one who is led by the Lord has no thought whatever of reward, and yet from the heart does good to the neighbour.
[2] These are the more internal things from which the law among the Israelite and Jewish nation about lending things at interest comes down. When therefore a person is acquainted with those more internal things that law comes to an end along with the others like it which were referred to as judgements. For the Israelite and Jewish nation was confined to the outward forms that represented internal things. Consequently that law was binding on that nation then, but it is not binding on Christians, to whom the more internal things have been revealed by the Lord. Those who belong to the Church at the present day see this to be so, and this is why laws that have to do with charging interest are altogether different at the present day. Even so, the holiness of that law does not therefore come to an end, as though this part of the Word has been abrogated; for its holiness remains by virtue of the more internal things it holds within it. These more internal holy things continue to stir angels' affections when this part of the Word is read. But let people beware of thinking that the laws of life such as are contained in the Ten Commandments and elsewhere throughout the Old Testament have been abrogated; for those laws have been firmly established in an inward as well as an outward form, because the two are inseparable.
Exodus 22
1
"If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it, or sells it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
2
If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him.
3
If the sun has risen on him, guilt of bloodshed shall be for him; he shall make restitution. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
4
If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.
5
"If a man causes a field or vineyard to be eaten, and lets his animal loose, and it grazes in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field, and from the best of his own vineyard.
6
"If fire breaks out, and catches in thorns so that the shocks of grain, or the standing grain, or the field are consumed; he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.
7
"If a man delivers to his neighbor money or stuff to keep, and it is stolen out of the man's house; if the thief is found, he shall pay double.
8
If the thief isn't found, then the master of the house shall come near to God, to find out if he hasn't put his hand to his neighbor's goods.
9
For every matter of trespass, whether it be for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, about which one says, 'This is mine,' the cause of both parties shall come before God. He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.
10
"If a man delivers to his neighbor a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies or is injured, or driven away, no man seeing it;
11
the oath of Yahweh shall be between them both, whether he hasn't put his hand to his neighbor's goods; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution.
12
But if it is stolen from him, he shall make restitution to its owner.
13
If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He shall not make good that which was torn.
14
"If a man borrows anything of his neighbor's, and it is injured, or dies, its owner not being with it, he shall surely make restitution.
15
If its owner is with it, he shall not make it good. If it is a leased thing, it came for its lease.
16
"If a man entices a virgin who isn't pledged to be married, and lies with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.
17
If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
18
"You shall not allow a sorceress to live.
19
"Whoever has sex with an animal shall surely be put to death.
20
"He who sacrifices to any god, except to Yahweh only, shall be utterly destroyed.
21
"You shall not wrong an alien, neither shall you oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
22
"You shall not take advantage of any widow or fatherless child.
23
If you take advantage of them at all, and they cry at all to me, I will surely hear their cry;
24
and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
25
"If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor; neither shall you charge him interest.
26
If you take your neighbor's garment as collateral, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down,
27
for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What would he sleep in? It will happen, when he cries to me, that I will hear, for I am gracious.
28
"You shall not blaspheme God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
29
"You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. "You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me.
30
You shall do likewise with your cattle and with your sheep. Seven days it shall be with its mother, then on the eighth day you shall give it to me.
31
"You shall be holy men to me, therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by animals in the field. You shall cast it to the dogs.
