Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What have you done?”
And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Genesis 3:13 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

That word deceived. It is the Hebrew word nasha (Strong’s H5377.) The King James Version translates that verb to beguile. Other translations of this primitive word are to impose, seduce, or lead into error.

I think the idea is clear.

Yet, there is an identical Hebrew word nasha (Strong’s H5378.) It means to exact, as in a price or to place under debt. To better understand, it is to lend on usury (charge interest.)

Another lexicon says that the idea conveyed by the word is to give false hopes.

What does that mean for a society that is based on debt instruments?

Almost all modern economies are managed by central banks and loans. Modern money policy is established by usury. Just let your mind wander with all that that entails.

As this is the first usage of nasha in the Bible, it requires attention.

Usury is enslavement.

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Proverbs 22:7 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

After the law came into existence, usury was considered a sin. It was forbidden (except for a limited case.)

If you lend money to any of My people who is poor among you, do not be a creditor to him, and do not charge him interest. If you take your neighbor’s garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, for that is his only covering; it is his garment for his body. In what else will he sleep? And when he cries out to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious.

Exodus 22:25–27 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I am convinced that usury is the root cause of all suffering on this planet. It started with that first rebellion when the Shining One enslaved Eve.

God doesn’t take kindly to this kind of debt slavery. That’s clear. From another portion of Scriptures, we see the idea in a narrative form. As Nehemiah led the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the exile, the gentry was busy enslaving their brothers.

Now there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their fellow Jews. Some were saying, “We and our sons and our daughters are many. Therefore, let us acquire grain so that we may eat and live.”
Others were saying, “We have mortgaged our fields, vineyards, and houses so that we might acquire grain because of hunger.”
Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute against the value of our fields and vineyards. Now our flesh is the same as the flesh of our countrymen. Our children are like their children, but we are subjugating our sons and our daughters as servants. Indeed, some of our daughters are in bondage already, and we are powerless to do anything because our fields and vineyards belong to others.”
I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. So I contemplated about this for myself and, as a result, I rebuked the nobles and officials and said to them, “Based on the claim of each against his brother, you are exacting usury.” Then I convened a great assembly against them, and I said to them, “By whatever means we had, we purchased our Jewish countrymen who were being sold to the nations. So, will you once more sell your countrymen so that they might again be sold to us?” Then they kept silent, because they found nothing to answer. Also I said, “What you are doing is not good! Should not you walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? Moreover, I, my relatives, and my servants are loaning them money and grain. So, I urge you, cease from this practice of usury. Please restore to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, along with a hundredth part of the money, the grain, the wine, and the oil that you had exacted from them.”

Nehemiah 5:1–11 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

What I find thought-provoking is the actual percentage rate given. It’s 1%. Nehemiah called that usury!

The idea of enslavement by debt instrument is also a theme alluded to by Jesus and Paul.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

John 8:34 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves as slaves to obey, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Romans 6:16 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The transaction from the shining one (the serpent) to Eve was a transaction of usury. He indebted her by sin, sin unto death.

What does that mean for us?

Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:8 (MEV):

First… Don’t take loans at interest. This is crazy, even for me to think about. Yet I owe, I owe. That’s the part of being enslaved.

The second point is even harder. How many of you save and invest your money hoping to reap a return?

Well, that’s the part of being one who enslaves others. That’s hard enough to hear. But then…

He who by usury and unjust gain increases his substance will gather it for him who will pity the poor.

Proverbs 28:8 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Clearly, a 1% return is usury and extortion (unjust gain.) And as is clearly being modeled, our modern rigged system benefits the nobles and the gentry, who will have “pity” on the poor. You won’t own anything and will like it, living on the subsidence (basic income) they offer. That’s the promise of the new world order. And it was prophesied centuries beforehand.