Deuteronomy 15:3-13

3 yet of a straunger thou maist call it home agayne. But that which thou hast with thy brother thyne hande shall remytt,

4 and that in any wyse, that there be no begger amonge you. For the Lorde shall blesse the lande whiche the Lorde thy God geueth the, an heritaunce to possesse it:

5 so that thou herken vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God, to obserue ad doo all these commaundmentes which I commaunde you this daye:

6 ye and then the Lorde thy God shall blesse the as he hath promysed the, and thou shalt lende vnto many nacyons, and shalt borowe of no man, and shalt raygne ouer many nacyons, but none shal reygne ouer the.

7 When one of thi brethern amonge you is waxed poore in any of thi cities within thi lode which the Lorde thi God geueth the, se that thou harden not thine hert nor shetto thyne hande from thi poore brother:

8 But open thyne hande vnto him and lende him sufficient for his nede which he hath.

9 And beware that there be not a poynte of Belial in thine hert, that thou woldest saye. The seuenth yere, the yere of fredome is at honde, and therfore it greue the to loke on thy poore brother and geuest him nought and he then crye vnto the Lorde agenst the and it be synne vnto the:

10 But geue him, and let it not greue thine hert to geue. Because that for that thinge, the Lorde thy God shall blesse the in all thi workes and in all that thou puttest thine hande to.

11 For the londe shall neuer be without poore. Wherfore I comaunde the sayenge: open thine hande vnto thi brother that is neady ad poore in thy lande.

12 Yf thi brother an Hebrue sell him self to the or an Hebruas, he shall serue the syxe yere and the seuenth yere thou shalt lett him go fre from the.

13 And when thou sendest hym out fre from the, thou shalt not let him goo awaye emptye:

Deuteronomy 15:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 15

This chapter treats of a release of debts every seventh year, to which a blessing is promised if attended to, De 15:1-6, which seventh year of release should not hinder lending to a poor man in distress, even though it was nigh at hand, De 15:7-11 and of letting servants go free, whether manservant or maidservant, at the end of six years' servitude, De 15:12-15 but if unwilling to go, and desirous of staying, must have his ear bored through with an awl, and serve to the year of jubilee, De 15:16-18 and of sanctifying and eating the firstlings of the herd and flock where the Lord directs, De 15:19-23.