Deuteronomy 15:1-11

The Sabbatic Year

1 "¹At the end of every seven years you shall grant a remission of debts.

2 "This is the manner of remission: every creditor * * shall release what he has loaned to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother, because the LORD'S remission has been proclaimed.

3 "²From a foreigner you may exact it, but your hand shall release whatever of yours is with your brother.

4 "However, there will be no poor among you, since ³the LORD will surely bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess,

5 if only you listen obediently to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all this commandment which I am commanding you today.

6 "⁴For the LORD your God will bless you as He has promised you, and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; and you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.

7 "If there is ⁵a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, ⁶you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother;

8 but ⁷you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.

9 "Beware that there is no base thought in your heart, saying, '⁸The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,' and ⁹your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he ¹⁰may cry to the LORD against you, and it will be a sin in you.

10 "You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because * ¹¹for this thing the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.

11 "¹²For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore * I command you, saying, 'You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.'

Deuteronomy 15:1-11 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.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 31:10
• 2. Deuteronomy 23:20
• 3. Deuteronomy 28:8
• 4. Deuteronomy 28:12, 13
• 5. Leviticus 25:35; Deuteronomy 15:11
• 6. 1 John 3:17
• 7. Matthew 5:42; Luke 6:34; Galatians 2:10
• 8. Deuteronomy 15:1
• 9. Matthew 20:15
• 10. Exodus 22:23; Deuteronomy 24:15; Job 34:28; Psalms 12:5; James 5:4
• 11. Deuteronomy 14:29; Psalms 41:1; Proverbs 22:9
• 12. Matthew 26:11; Mark 14:7; John 12:8

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "make a release"
• [b] Lit "gates"
• [c] Lit "word"
• [d] Lit "the putting forth of your hand"
• [e] Lit "in the midst of"