Don’t put yourself on the hook for someone else’s debt or guarantee a loan you can’t control. The verse warns against shaking hands or making a pledge for another person’s borrowing. The Hebrew word for pledge is ’arab, which means to become a guarantor or to take responsibility for someone else’s promise.

This challenges the idea that helping others always means saying yes, especially when it comes to money. It’s easy to feel pressured to help a friend or family member by co-signing a loan, but this verse says that can put your own future at risk — sometimes with consequences you can’t predict.

If you’ve ever felt obligated to help someone financially, this verse gives you permission to set boundaries. It’s not about being selfish, but about being wise with your own responsibilities. Sometimes, the most caring thing you can do is say no to a risky promise.