Tag Archives: Psalm 15:5

כַּסְפֹּ֤ו לֹא־נָתַ֣ן בְּנֶשֶׁךְ֮ וְשֹׁ֥חַד עַל־נָקִ֗י לֹ֥א לָ֫קָ֥ח עֹֽשֵׂה־אֵ֑לֶּה לֹ֖א יִמֹּ֣וט לְעֹולָֽם׃ 1. Legal and Economic Ethics in Grammar: כַּסְפּוֹ לֹא־נָתַן בְּנֶשֶׁךְ כַּסְפּוֹ (“his silver”) is a masculine singular noun in construct with the pronominal suffix -וֹ (“his”), drawing attention to personal property. The phrase לֹא־נָתַן (“he did not give”) uses the Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular of נָתַן, denoting a completed action—he has not given, and by implication does not give, his money בְּנֶשֶׁךְ (“with interest”). The preposition בְּ introduces the manner or condition: “in interest,” referring to usury, prohibited by the Torah when lending to fellow Israelites (Exodus 22:24; Leviticus 25:36).… Learn Hebrew