la.vah describes lending to another or borrowing from another in financial obligation.

The dominant use presents someone extending a loan, whether to nations, to the poor, or as an ongoing gracious practice. A smaller group of passages presents the corresponding position of receiving a loan and owing repayment.

1. Extending a loan to another · dominant

   Hiphil forms occur where the clause concerns giving a loan: in Deuteronomy 28:12 the APB renders the contrast, "you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow," and Deuteronomy 28:44 reverses the relationship. Participial forms describe a lender in Isaiah 24:2 and characterize gracious conduct toward the poor or others in Proverbs 19:17, Psalm 112:5, and Psalm 37:26.

   Deuteronomy 28:12Deuteronomy 28:44Isaiah 24:2Proverbs 19:17Psalm 112:5Psalm 37:26
2. Receiving a loan and bearing obligation · common

   Qal forms mark those on the receiving side of a loan: in Nehemiah 5:4 the APB renders, "We borrowed silver for the tribute of the king," while Psalm 37:21 places borrowing beside failure to repay. In Proverbs 22:7, two Qal active participles occur in the statement that the borrower is servant to the lender.

   Nehemiah 5:4Proverbs 22:7Psalm 37:21

In the Anselm Project Bible: Across these verses, the APB commonly presents the loan relationship with "lend," "borrowed," "borrower," and "lender," and sometimes adds repayment or indebtedness to the clause. These English terms confirm the verse-level contrast rather than establish a separate rendering for every form.