Deuteronomy 15

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) · English

1 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. 2 This is the manner of remission: Every creditor shall cancel what he has loaned to his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s time of release has been proclaimed. 3 You may collect something from a foreigner, but you must forgive whatever your brother owes you. 4 There will be no poor among you, however, because the LORD will surely bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, 5 if only you obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commandments I am giving you today. 6 When the LORD your God blesses you as He has promised, you will lend to many nations but borrow from none; you will rule over many nations but be ruled by none. 7 If there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother. 8 Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him whatever he needs. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin. 10 Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand. 11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your land. 12 If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you must set him free. 13 And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. 14 You are to furnish him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. 15 Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today. 16 But if your servant says to you, ‘I do not want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your household and is well off with you, 17 then take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he will become your servant for life. And treat your maidservant the same way. 18 Do not regard it as a hardship to set your servant free, because his six years of service were worth twice the wages of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in all you do. 19 You must set apart to the LORD your God every firstborn male produced by your herds and flocks. You are not to put the firstborn of your oxen to work, nor are you to shear the firstborn of your flock. 20 Each year you and your household are to eat it before the LORD your God in the place the LORD will choose. 21 But if an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God. 22 Eat it within your gates; both the ceremonially unclean and clean may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer. 23 But you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

Commentary — not Bible text

Deuteronomy 15:1-3

Introduction

The Sabbatical year of release, Deu 15:1. The manner in which this release shall take place, Deu 15:2-5. Of lending to the poor, and the disposition in which it should be done, Deu 15:6-11. Of the Hebrew servant who has served six years, and who shall be dismissed well furnished, Deu 15:12-15. The ceremony of boring the ear, when the servant wishes to continue with his master, Deu 15:16-18. Of the firstlings of the flock and herd, Deu 15:19, Deu 15:20. Nothing shall be offered that has any blemish, Deu 15:21. The sacrifice to be eaten both by the clean and unclean, except the blood, which is never to be eaten, but poured out upon the ground, Deu 15:22, Deu 15:23.

Verse 1

At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release - For an explanation of many things in this chapter, see the notes on Exodus 21 (note), Exodus 23 (note), and Leviticus 25 (note).

Deuteronomy 15:4-7

Verse 4

There shall be no poor - That is, comparatively; see Deu 15:11.

Deuteronomy 15:8

Verse 8

Thou shalt open thine hand wide - Thy benevolence shall be in proportion to his distress and poverty, and thy ability. Thou shalt have no other rule to regulate thy charity by.

Deuteronomy 15:9-10

Verse 9

Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart - לבבך בליעל lebabecha beliyaal, thy belial heart, that is, thy good-for-nothing or unprofitable heart; See on Deu 13:13 (note).

And thine eye be evil - An evil eye signifies a covetous disposition. See the same form of expression used by our Lord in the same sense, Mat 6:23. If thine eye be evil - If thou be a covetous person. Evil eye is by our Lord opposed to single eye, i. e., a person of a liberal, benevolent mind. Covetousness darkens the soul; liberality and benevolence enlighten it.

And he cry unto the Lord against thee - What a consolation to the poor and the oppressed, that they have a sure friend in God, who will hear their cry and redress their grievances!

Deuteronomy 15:11-12

Verse 11

For the poor shall never cease out of the land - To this passage our Lord appears to allude Mar 14:7 : For ye have the poor with you always. God leaves these in mercy among men to exercise the feelings of compassion, tenderness, mercy, etc. And without occasions afforded to exercise these, man would soon become a Stoic or a brute.

Deuteronomy 15:13

Verse 13

Thou shalt not let him go away empty - Because during the time he served thee, he made no property for himself, having been always honest towards thee; and now when he leaves thee, he has nothing to begin the world with.

Deuteronomy 15:14-16

Verse 14

Thou shalt furnish him - out of thy flock - Thou shalt give him some cattle to breed with; out of thy floor - some corn for seed and for bread; and out of thy wine press - an adequate provision of wine for present necessity.

Deuteronomy 15:17-19

Verse 17

Thou shalt take an awl - See the note on Exo 21:6.

Deuteronomy 15:20

Verse 20

Thou shalt eat it - in the place which the Lord shall choose - Thus God in his mercy made their duty and interest go hand in hand. And in every case God acts thus with his creatures; well, therefore, might Satan ask, Doth Job serve God for naught? No! nor does God design that any man should.

Deuteronomy 15:21-23

Verse 21

If there be any blemish - See the notes on Lev 22:20. God will have both a perfect priest and a perfect offering.

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