Deuteronomy 15:7

7 And if there shall be in the midst of thee a poor of thy brethren in one of thy cities in the land, which the Lord thy God gives thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, neither shalt thou by any means close up thine hand from thy brother who is in want.

Deuteronomy 15:7 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 15:7

If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren
As there would be, according to the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, if they did not keep the commandments of the law, and continue therein:

within any of thy gates, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth
thee;
a native of the land was to be preferred to a foreigner, and a brother, whether in relation or religion, to a proselyte of the gate; and the poor of a city to which a man belonged, to the poor of another city, as Jarchi observes; which he gathers from this phrase,

within any of thy gates: thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut
thine hand from thy brother;
so as not to pity his distressed case, and have no bowels of compassion for him, and feel for his want, and so as not to distribute to his necessities, and relieve him.

Deuteronomy 15:7 In-Context

5 And if ye shall indeed hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep and do all these commandments, as many as I charge thee this day,

6 (for the Lord thy God has blessed thee in the way of which he spoke to thee,) then thou shalt lend to many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over thee.

7 And if there shall be in the midst of thee a poor of thy brethren in one of thy cities in the land, which the Lord thy God gives thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, neither shalt thou by any means close up thine hand from thy brother who is in want.

8 Thou shalt surely open thine hands to him, and shalt lend to him as much as he wants according to his need.

9 Take heed to thyself that there be not a secret thing in thine heart, an iniquity, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, draws nigh; and thine eye shall be evil to thy brother that is in want, and thou shalt not give to him, and he shall cry against thee to the Lord, and there shall be great sin in thee.