1 At the end H7093 of every seven H7651 years H8141 thou shalt make H6213 a release. H8059
2 And this is the manner H1697 of the release: H8059 Every creditor H1167 H4874 H3027 that lendeth H5383 ought unto his neighbour H7453 shall release H8058 it; he shall not exact H5065 it of his neighbour, H7453 or of his brother; H251 because it is called H7121 the LORD'S H3068 release. H8059
3 Of a foreigner H5237 thou mayest exact H5065 it again: but that which is thine with thy brother H251 thine hand H3027 shall release; H8058
4 Save H657 when there shall be no poor H34 among you; for the LORD H3068 shall greatly H1288 bless H1288 thee in the land H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee for an inheritance H5159 to possess H3423 it:
5 Only if thou carefully H8085 hearken H8085 unto the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 to observe H8104 to do H6213 all these commandments H4687 which I command H6680 thee this day. H3117
6 For the LORD H3068 thy God H430 blesseth H1288 thee, as he promised H1696 thee: and thou shalt lend H5670 unto many H7227 nations, H1471 but thou shalt not borrow; H5670 and thou shalt reign H4910 over many H7227 nations, H1471 but they shall not reign H4910 over thee.
7 If there be among you a poor man H34 of one H259 of thy brethren H251 within any H259 of thy gates H8179 in thy land H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 giveth H5414 thee, thou shalt not harden H553 thine heart, H3824 nor shut H7092 thine hand H3027 from thy poor H34 brother: H251
8 But thou shalt open H6605 thine hand H3027 wide H6605 unto him, and shalt surely H5670 lend H5670 him sufficient H1767 for his need, H4270 in that which he wanteth. H2637
9 Beware H8104 that there be not a thought H1697 in thy wicked H1100 heart, H3824 saying, H559 The seventh H7651 year, H8141 the year H8141 of release, H8059 is at hand; H7126 and thine eye H5869 be evil H7489 against thy poor H34 brother, H251 and thou givest H5414 him nought; and he cry H7121 unto the LORD H3068 against thee, and it be sin H2399 unto thee.
10 Thou shalt surely H5414 give H5414 him, and thine heart H3824 shall not be grieved H3415 when thou givest H5414 unto him: because H1558 that for this thing H1697 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall bless H1288 thee in all thy works, H4639 and in all that thou puttest H4916 thine hand H3027 unto.
11 For the poor H34 shall never cease H2308 out of H7130 the land: H776 therefore I command H6680 thee, saying, H559 Thou shalt open H6605 thine hand H3027 wide H6605 unto thy brother, H251 to thy poor, H6041 and to thy needy, H34 in thy land. H776
12 And if thy brother, H251 an Hebrew man, H5680 or an Hebrew woman, H5680 be sold H4376 unto thee, and serve H5647 thee six H8337 years; H8141 then in the seventh H7637 year H8141 thou shalt let him go H7971 free H2670 from thee.
13 And when thou sendest H7971 him out free H2670 from thee, thou shalt not let him go away H7971 empty: H7387
14 Thou shalt furnish H6059 him liberally H6059 out of thy flock, H6629 and out of thy floor, H1637 and out of thy winepress: H3342 of that wherewith the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath blessed H1288 thee thou shalt give H5414 unto him.
15 And thou shalt remember H2142 that thou wast a bondman H5650 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and the LORD H3068 thy God H430 redeemed H6299 thee: therefore I command H6680 thee this thing H1697 to day. H3117
16 And it shall be, if he say H559 unto thee, I will not go away H3318 from thee; because he loveth H157 thee and thine house, H1004 because he is well H2895 with thee;
17 Then thou shalt take H3947 an aul, H4836 and thrust H5414 it through his ear H241 unto the door, H1817 and he shall be thy servant H5650 for ever. H5769 And also unto thy maidservant H519 thou shalt do H6213 likewise.
18 It shall not seem hard H7185 unto thee, H5869 when thou sendest him away H7971 free H2670 from thee; for he hath been worth H7939 a double H4932 hired servant H7916 to thee, in serving H5647 thee six H8337 years: H8141 and the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall bless H1288 thee in all that thou doest. H6213
19 All the firstling H1060 males H2145 that come H3205 of thy herd H1241 and of thy flock H6629 thou shalt sanctify H6942 unto the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 thou shalt do no work H5647 with the firstling H1060 of thy bullock, H7794 nor shear H1494 the firstling H1060 of thy sheep. H6629
20 Thou shalt eat H398 it before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 year H8141 by year H8141 in the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 shall choose, H977 thou and thy household. H1004
21 And if there be any blemish H3971 therein, as if it be lame, H6455 or blind, H5787 or have any ill H7451 blemish, H3971 thou shalt not sacrifice H2076 it unto the LORD H3068 thy God. H430
22 Thou shalt eat H398 it within thy gates: H8179 the unclean H2931 and the clean H2889 person shall eat it alike, H3162 as the roebuck, H6643 and as the hart. H354
23 Only thou shalt not eat H398 the blood H1818 thereof; thou shalt pour H8210 it upon the ground H776 as water. H4325
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 15
Commentary on Deuteronomy 15 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 15
De 15:1-11. The Seventh Year, a Year of Release for the Poor.
1. At the end of every seven years—during the last of the seven, that is, the sabbatical year (Ex 21:2; 23:11; Le 25:4; Jer 34:14).
2. Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it—not by an absolute discharge of the debt, but by passing over that year without exacting payment. The relief was temporary and peculiar to that year during which there was a total suspension of agricultural labor.
he shall not exact it … of his brother—that is, an Israelite, so called in opposition to a stranger or foreigner.
because it is called the Lord's release—The reason for acquitting a debtor at that particular period proceeded from obedience to the command, and a regard for the honor, of God; an acknowledgment of holding their property of Him, and gratitude for His kindness.
3. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again—Admission to all the religious privileges of the Israelites was freely granted to heathen proselytes, though this spiritual incorporation did not always imply an equal participation of civil rights and privileges (Le 25:44; Jer 34:14; compare 1Ch 22:2; 2Ch 2:17).
4. Save when there shall be no poor man among you—Apparently a qualifying clause added to limit the application of the foregoing statement [De 15:3]; so that "the brother" to be released pointed to a poor borrower, whereas it is implied that if he were rich, the restoration of the loan might be demanded even during that year. But the words may properly be rendered (as on the Margin) to the end, in order that there may be no poor among you—that is, that none be reduced to inconvenient straits and poverty by unseasonable exaction of debts at a time when there was no labor and no produce, and that all may enjoy comfort and prosperity, which will be the case through the special blessing of God on the land, provided they are obedient.
7-11. If there be among you a poor man … thou shalt not harden thine heart—Lest the foregoing law should prevent the Israelites lending to the poor, Moses here admonishes them against so mean and selfish a spirit and exhorts them to give in a liberal spirit of charity and kindness, which will secure the divine blessing (Ro 12:8; 2Co 9:7).
11. For the poor shall never cease out of the land—Although every Israelite on the conquest of Canaan became the owner of property, yet in the providence of God who foresaw the event, it was permitted, partly as a punishment of disobedience and partly for the exercise of benevolent and charitable feelings, that "the poor should never cease out of the land."
De 15:12-19. Hebrew Servants' Freedom.
12. if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee—The last extremity of an insolvent debtor, when his house or land was not sufficient to cancel his debt, was to be sold as a slave with his family (Le 25:39; 2Ki 4:1; Ne 5:1-13; Job 24:9; Mt 18:25). The term of servitude could not last beyond six years. They obtained their freedom either after six years from the time of their sale or before the end of the seventh year. At the year of jubilee, such slaves were emancipated even if their six years of service were not completed [see on Le 25:39].
13-15. thou shalt not let him go away empty—A seasonable and wise provision for enabling a poor unfortunate to regain his original status in society, and the motive urged for his kindness and humanity to the Hebrew slave was the remembrance that the whole nation was once a degraded and persecuted band of helots in Egypt. Thus, kindness towards their slaves, unparalleled elsewhere in those days, was inculcated by the Mosaic law; and in all their conduct towards persons in that reduced condition, leniency and gentleness were enforced by an appeal which no Israelite could resist.
16, 17. if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee—If they declined to avail themselves of the privilege of release and chose to remain with their master, then by a peculiar form of ceremony they became a party to the transaction, voluntarily sold themselves to their employer, and continued in his service till death.
18. he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee—that is, he is entitled to double wages because his service was more advantageous to you, being both without wages and for a length of time, whereas hired servants were engaged yearly (Le 25:53), or at most for three years (Isa 16:14).
19. All the firstling males of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God—[See on Ex 13:2]; see Ex 22:30).
thou shalt do not work with the firstling of thy bullock—that is, the second firstlings (see De 12:17, 18; 14:23).