kred'-i-ter:
(a) nosheh, participle of nashah:Ex 22:24(English translation: 25);2Ki 4:1;Isa 50:1; translated "extortioner,"Ps 109:11; "taker of usury,"Isa 24:2the King James Version;
(b) malweh, participle of lawah,Isa 24:2the Revised Version (British and American), the King James Version "lender";
(c) ba`al mashsheh yadho: "lord of the loan of his hand,"De 15:2;
(d) danistes:Lu 7:41, "creditor" the King James Version, "lender" the Revised Version (British and American); compare further danistos, Sirach 29:28, "lender" the King James Version, "money-lender" the Revised Version (British and American):
In the ideal social system of the Old Testament, debts are incurred only because of poverty, and the law protected the poor debtor from his creditor, who inEx 22:25is forbidden to demand interest, and inDe 15:2to exact payment in view of the nearness of the year of release.2Ki 4:1shows that the actual practice was not so considerate, and in consequence the creditor fell into bad repute. InPs 109:11he is the extortioner; inPr 29:13the oppressor is evidently the creditor, though a different word is used; compare alsoPr 22:7. In Sirach 29:28 the importunity of the creditor is one of the hardships of the poor man of understanding. The actual practice of the Jews may be gathered fromNe 5:1ff;Jer 34:8ff; and Sirach 29:1-11.
See alsoDEBT.
Walter R. Betteridge