Deuteronomy 15:3-13

3 [With respect to] the foreigner you may exact payment, but {you must remit} what shall be [owed] to you [with respect to] your brother.

4 Nevertheless, there shall not be among you a poor [person], because Yahweh will certainly bless you in the land that Yahweh your God [is] giving to you [as] an inheritance, to take possession of it.

5 If only you listen well to the voice of Yahweh your God {by observing diligently} all of these commandments that I [am] commanding you {today}.

6 When Yahweh your God has blessed you, [just] as he {promised} to you, then you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow [from them], and you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.

7 If [there] is a poor [person] among you from [among] one of your brothers in one of your {towns} that Yahweh your God [is] giving to you, you shall not harden your heart, and you shall not shut your hand toward {your brother who is poor}.

8 But you shall certainly open your hand for him, and {you shall willingly lend} [to] him enough to meet his need, {whatever it is}.

9 {Take care} so that there will not be {a thought of wickedness} in your heart, {saying}, 'The seventh year, the year of the remission of debt is near,' {and you view your needy neighbor with hostility}, and [so] you [do] not give to him, and he might cry [out] against you to Yahweh, and {you would incur guilt against yourself}.

10 By all means you must give to him, and {you must not be discontented} at your giving to him, because on account of this [very] thing, Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work and {in all that you undertake}.

11 For the poor will not cease to be {among you} [in] the land; therefore I [am] commanding you, {saying}, 'You shall willingly open your hand to your brother, to your needy and to your poor [that are] in your land.'

12 If your relative who is a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman is sold to you, and [he or she] has served you six years, then in the seventh year you shall send that person [out] {free}.

13 And when you send him [out] free from you, you shall not send him [away] empty-handed.

Deuteronomy 15:3-13 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "your hand shall remit"
• [b]. Hebrew "it"
• [c]. Literally "to observe [so as] to do"
• [d]. Hebrew "commandment"
• [e]. Literally "the day"
• [f]. Literally "spoke"
• [g]. Literally "gates"
• [h]. Literally "from among your brothers, the poor one"
• [i]. Literally "lending you shall lend"
• [j]. Literally "whatever is lacking for him"
• [k]. Literally "Watch for yourself"
• [l]. Hebrew "it"
• [m]. Literally "a thing in your heart wickedness"
• [n]. Literally "to say"
• [o]. Literally "is bad your eye against your brother who is needy"
• [p]. Literally "it will be against you a sin"
• [q]. Literally "and not shall be bad/evil your heart at/when"
• [r]. Literally "in all [of] the sending/putting forth of your hand"
• [s]. Or "the needy person"
• [t]. Literally "from the midst of "
• [u]. Literally "to say"
• [v]. Or "brother"
• [w]. Literally "free from with you"