תַּרְבִּית
multiplication, i.e. percentage or bonus in addition to principal
Definition
The Hebrew noun תַּרְבִּית (tarbîyth) refers to an increase or addition, specifically the profit or interest charged on a loan. In its biblical usage, it primarily denotes the practice of taking interest from a fellow Israelite, which is explicitly forbidden in the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 25:36). The word carries a negative connotation of unjust or exploitative gain, as seen in the prophetic condemnations of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 18:8, 13). It signifies not merely a financial transaction but an act that violates covenantal brotherhood by profiting from another's hardship.
Biblical Usage
תַּרְבִּית is used exclusively in legal and wisdom contexts concerning financial ethics. It appears in the Torah's legislation (Leviticus 25:36-37), in wisdom literature condemning the practice (Proverbs 28:8), and repeatedly in Ezekiel's lists of righteous and wicked behaviors (Ezekiel 18:8, 13, 17; 22:12). The pattern is consistent: it is always presented as a prohibited, exploitative action, especially when directed at a poor or vulnerable fellow countryman.
Etymology
Derived from the root רָבָה (rāvâ, H7235), meaning 'to be or become many, to multiply.' The noun form תַּרְבִּית essentially means 'a multiplying' or 'an increase.' This connects the concept directly to the idea of the principal sum 'growing' through added interest.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it touches on God's design for economic justice and community within the covenant. The prohibition against תַּרְבִּית was a safeguard against exploiting the poor and a practical outworking of loving one's neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). It reflects a socioeconomic ethic where the community's well-being takes precedence over individual profit. In Ezekiel, abstaining from תַּרְבִּית is a mark of personal righteousness. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by highlighting that biblical law viewed loans not primarily as investment vehicles but as acts of mercy to relieve distress.
In ancient Israel's agrarian society, loans were typically needed due to crop failure or disaster, not for business investment. Charging interest (תַּרְבִּית) to a fellow Israelite in such distress was seen as predatory, worsening their plight for personal gain. This contrasts with some modern views where interest is a neutral or expected component of finance. The law permitted charging interest from foreigners (Deuteronomy 23:20), drawing a clear ethical line based on covenantal kinship.
נֶשֶׁךְ (neshek, H5392) — Another word for 'interest,' often used in parallel with תַּרְבִּית; it emphasizes the 'biting' or oppressive nature of interest. מַשָּׁא (māššā’, H4855) — A 'loan' or 'thing lent,' the principal sum on which תַּרְבִּית would be charged.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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