He shall lend to thee, and thou shall not lend to him,.... The stranger, or one of another nation, shall be in a capacity of lending to the Jew, when the Jew would not be able to lend to the Gentile, his circumstances being so low and mean; to show which is the design of the expression, and not the kindness or unkindness of either; see Deu 28:12, he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail; he shall be ruler and governor, and thou shalt be subject to him; see Deu 28:13.