Deuteronomy 15:4

4 and utterly a needy man and a beggar shall not be among you, that thy Lord God bless thee, in the land which he shall give to thee into possession. (And there shall never be a needy person, or a beggar, among you, and then the Lord thy God shall bless thee, in the land which he shall give to thee for a possession,)

Deuteronomy 15:4 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 15:4

Save when there shall be no poor among you
Then such a law could not take place, there would be no debts to be released; for this was never designed to screen rich persons from the payment of their just debts, or whoever were in a capacity of so doing, only such as were really poor, and unable to pay; and it supposes that this might sometimes be the case, that there were none poor in Israel, or needed the benefit of such a law; and, according to the Targum of Jonathan, it is suggested there would be none, if they were observant of the commands of God: and some take it for a promise, rendering the words "nevertheless" ^F3, notwithstanding such a law,

there shall be no poor among you;
but then it must be understood conditionally: others interpret this as the end to be answered by this law, "to the end ^F4 there may be no poor among you"; by observing this law, all debts being released once in seven years, it would prevent persons falling into distress and poverty, to such a degree as to be in want, and become beggars; and Julian the emperor observes, that none of the Jews begged ^F5, which he attributes to the care that was taken of their poor:

for the Lord shall greatly bless thee in the land which the Lord thy
God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it;
which is either a reason why there would be no poor, should they observe the commandments of the Lord; or a reason why they should release the debts of the poor because they were so greatly blessed with a fruitful land, which brought them such an increase, as enabled them to free their poor debtors, when in circumstances unable to pay them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (yk opa) "veruntamen", Munster.
F4 "To the end that there be not", Ainsworth; so the margin of the Bible.
F5 Opera, par. 2. Ep. 49. p. 204.

Deuteronomy 15:4 In-Context

2 that shall be fulfilled by this order. To whom anything is owed, of his friend, either neighbour, and brother, he shall not be able to ask (for) it, for it is the year of remission, or forgiveness, of the Lord. (that shall be fulfilled in this way. To whom anything is owed, to his friend, or his neighbour, or his brother, he shall not be able to ask for it, for it is the Year of Remission, or the Year of Forgiveness, of the Lord.)

3 Thou shalt ask it of a pilgrim, that is, a stranger, or he that is not of the faith of (the) Jews, and of a comeling; thou hast no power to ask (for) it of a citizen and of a neighbour; (Thou shalt ask for it from a foreigner, that is, from a stranger, or from he who is not of the faith of the Jews, and a newcomer; but thou hast no power to ask for it from a citizen, or from a neighbour.)

4 and utterly a needy man and a beggar shall not be among you, that thy Lord God bless thee, in the land which he shall give to thee into possession. (And there shall never be a needy person, or a beggar, among you, and then the Lord thy God shall bless thee, in the land which he shall give to thee for a possession,)

5 If nevertheless thou shalt hear the voice of thy Lord God, and shalt keep all things which he commanded, and which I command today to thee, (if only thou shalt hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and shalt obey all the things which he commanded, and which I command to thee today,)

6 he shall bless thee, as he promised. Thou shalt lend to many folks, and thou shalt not take borrowing of any man; thou shalt be lord of full many nations, and no man shall be lord of thee. (yea, then he shall bless thee, as he promised. Thou shalt lend to many nations, but thou shalt not borrow from anyone; thou shalt be lord of a great many nations, but no one shall be thy lord.)