Deuteronomy 15:12-22

12 "¹If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free.

13 "When you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed.

14 "You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you.

15 "You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore * I command you this today.

16 "It shall come about ²if he says to you, 'I will not go out from you,' because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you;

17 then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also you shall do likewise to your maidservant.

18 "It shall not seem hard to you when you set him free, for he has given you six years with double the service of a hired man; so the LORD your God will bless you in whatever * you do.

19 "³You shall consecrate to the LORD your God all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock; you shall not work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.

20 "⁴You and your household shall eat it every year before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses.

21 "⁵But if it has any defect, such as lameness or blindness, or any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.

22 "You shall eat it within your gates; ⁶the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as ⁷a gazelle or a deer.

Deuteronomy 15:12-22 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. Exodus 21:2-6; Leviticus 25:39-43; Jeremiah 34:14
• 2. Exodus 21:5, 6
• 3. Exodus 13:2, 12
• 4. Leviticus 7:15-18; Deuteronomy 12:5; Deuteronomy 14:23
• 5. Leviticus 22:19-25; Deuteronomy 17:1
• 6. Deut 12:15, 16, 22
• 7. Deut 12:15, 16, 22

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "brother"
• [b] Lit "free from you"
• [c] Lit "free from you"
• [d] Lit "this thing"
• [e] Lit "free from you"
• [f] Lit "double the amount"
• [g] Lit "blemish"
• [h] Lit "blemish"