creditor

Everyday

A person or firm to whom money is owed, who is waiting to be paid back. tree →

In the lessons

in stories, the person who lends money and wants it repaid at once

Examples

• The creditor asked for his money. tree →
• The shopkeeper was a creditor of the farmer. tree →
• Every creditor wanted to be paid that day. tree →

Note

nothing for maths in ordinary sums; in a money-owed problem the amount owed is what the debtor must pay back to the creditor

In Jewish tradition

In the Torah a creditor may not charge interest to a poor Israelite and must cancel debts in the seventh year.

Interpretation. Tradition calls this the shemitah release of debts, and reads it as teaching kindness to the poor. Later rabbis made a legal device, the prozbul, to protect lending.

Examples

• If thou lend money to any of My people, even to the poor with thee, thou shalt not be to him as a creditor; neither shall ye lay upon him interest. (Torah EXO.22.25, JPS 1917) tree →
• And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he hath lent unto his neighbour; he shall not exact it of his neighbour and his brother; because the LORD'S release hath been proclaimed. (Torah DEU.15.2, JPS 1917) tree →
• Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? (Prophets ISA.50.1, JPS 1917) tree →
• Let the creditor distrain all that he hath; and let strangers make spoil of his labour. (Writings PSA.109.11, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

nothing for maths in ordinary sums; in a money-owed problem the amount owed is what the debtor must pay back to the creditor