Deuteronomy 15:1

The Sabbatical Year

1 “At the end of ¹every seven years you shall grant a release.

Deuteronomy 15:1 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 15:1

At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.
] Not of servants, for they were not to be dismissed from their service until they had served six years, as is directed to in a following law; for if they were to be set free whenever a sabbatical year came, they might be discharged when they had not served more than a year, or than half a year, or than a month or two. Indeed when the year of jubilee intervened, they were released be it at what time it would; but not in a sabbatical year, which was a year of release of debts, as the following verses show, as well as there was, then a rest of the land from tillage, ( Leviticus 25:2-4 ) . Now this was done at the end or extremity of every seventh year; not at the latter end or extremity of it, for if the debt of a poor man might be exacted of him in the year, and until the end of it, it would not in this respect have been a sabbatical year, or a year of rest and quiet; but this was done at the first extremity of it, at the beginning of it, as Aben Ezra and Ben Melech observe; though Maimonides ^F2 asserts it to be after the seven years were ended; for he says,

``the seventh year releaseth not monies but at the end of it,''

according to ( Deuteronomy 15:1 ) that as in ( Deuteronomy 31:10 ) after seven years is meant, so the release of monies is after seven years.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Hilchot Shemittah & Yobel, c. 9. sect. 4.

Deuteronomy 15:1 In-Context

1 “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release.

2 And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed.

3 Of a foreigner you may exact it, but whatever of yours is with your brother your hand shall release.

4 But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess—

5 if only you will strictly obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today.

Cross References

• 1. 15:1 ch. 31:10; Neh. 10:31; [ver. 12; Ex. 23:10, 11; Lev. 25:2-4]