Deuteronomy 15:1

1 At the end of [every] seven years thou shalt make 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 thou shalt make a release.

2 And this [is] the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth [aught] to his neighbor shall release [it]; he shall not exact [it] of his neighbor, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD'S release.

3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact [it again]: but [that] which is thine with thy brother thy hand shall release:

4 Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance to possess it:

5 Only if thou shalt carefully hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.