Usury, by modern usage, means exorbitant or unlawful interest, but in the Scriptures it means simply interest. The law of Moses prohibited the Jews from taking any interest of each other for the loan of money or of anything else, though they were allowed to take it of foreigners. The exchangers of money were in the habit of receiving it at low interest and loaning it at high interest, taking the difference for their gain. Ezekiel 22:12. The practice of usury is severely denounced in the Scriptures. Nehemiah 5:7; Nehemiah 5:10; Psalms 15:5; Proverbs 28:8.