Borrowing, lending, interest and usury.

Recently our economy was turned on its ear to the point of collapse. We need to educate ourselves inorder to avoid the traps and pitfalls of the world we live in. The banking industy favors the rich. The rich get access to higher interest for their money and lower interest on loans. The poor's money is not worth as much since it is more volitile. Likewise loans to the poor are at a higher rate. Is this fair or right?

Merriam-Webster
plural usu·ries
Definition of USURY
1archaic : interest
2: the lending of money with an interest charge for its use; especially :
the lending of money at exorbitant interest rates
3: an unconscionable or exorbitant rate or amount of interest;
specifically : interest in excess of a legal rate charged to a borrower
for the use of money.

Borrower

Proverbs 22:7 KJV
The rich ruleth over the poor , and the borrower is servant to the lender

Isaiah 24:2 KJV
And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the
servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as
with the buyer , so with the seller ; as with the lender , so with the
borrower ; as with the taker of usury , so with the giver of usury to
him.

Borrow

Exodus 3:22 KJV
But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth
in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye
shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall
spoil the Egyptians.

Exodus 11:2 KJV
Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his
neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels
of gold.

Exodus 22:14 KJV
And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt , or die , the
owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good .

Deuteronomy 15:6 KJV
For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt
lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow ; and thou shalt reign
over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.

Deuteronomy 28:12 KJV
The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the
rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine
hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow .

2 Kings 4:3 KJV
Then he said , Go , borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours,
even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

Matthew 5:42 KJV
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn
not thou away.

Usury

Exodus 22:25 KJV
If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt
not be to him as an usurer , neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
Leviticus 25:36 KJV

Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy
brother may live with thee.

Leviticus 25:37 KJV
Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals
for increase.

Deuteronomy 23:19 KJV
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of
victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury :

Deuteronomy 23:20 KJV
Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury ; but unto thy brother thou
shalt not lend upon usury : that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all
that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess
it.

Nehemiah 5:7 KJV
Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers,
and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a
great assembly against them.

Nehemiah 5:10 KJV
I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might exact of them money
and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

Psalm 15:5 KJV
He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the
innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved .

Proverbs 28:8 KJV
He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall
gather it for him that will pity the poor.

Isaiah 24:2 KJV
And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the
servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as
with the buyer , so with the seller ; as with the lender , so with the
borrower ; as with the taker of usury , so with the giver of usury to
him.

Lend

Exodus 22:25 KJV
If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt
not be to him as an usurer , neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

Leviticus 25:37 KJV
Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals
for increase.

Deuteronomy 15:6 KJV
For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt
lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow ; and thou shalt reign
over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.

Deuteronomy 15:8 KJV
But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him
sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth .

Deuteronomy 23:19 KJV
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of
victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury :

Deuteronomy 23:20 KJV
Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury ; but unto thy brother thou
shalt not lend upon usury : that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all
that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess
it.

Deuteronomy 24:10 KJV
When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his
house to fetch his pledge.

Deuteronomy 24:11 KJV
Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring
out the pledge abroad unto thee.

Deuteronomy 28:12 KJV
The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the
rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine
hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow .

Deuteronomy 28:44 KJV
He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the
head, and thou shalt be the tail.

 Additional references:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usury

http://www.usurylaw.com/