Deuteronomy15
New American Standard
1“At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts.
2And this is the regulation for the release of debts: every creditor is to forgive what he has loaned to his neighbor; he shall not require it of his neighbor and his brother, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed.
3From a foreigner you may require it, but your hand shall forgive whatever of yours is with your brother.
4However, there will be no poor among you, since the Lord will certainly bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess,
5if only you listen obediently to the voice of the Lord your God, to follow carefully all this commandment which I am commanding you today.
6For the Lord your God will have blessed you just 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 a poor person among you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother;
8but you shall fully open your hand to him, and generously lend him enough for his need in whatever he lacks.
9Be careful that there is no mean-spirited thought in your heart, such as, ‘The seventh year, the year of release of debts, is near,’ and your eye is malicious toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he may cry out to the Lord against you, and it will be a sin in you.
10You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work, and in all your undertakings.
11For the poor will not cease to exist in the land; therefore I am commanding you, saying, ‘You shall fully open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.’
12“If your fellow countryman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you for six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free.
13And when you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed.
14You shall give generously to him from your flock, your threshing floor, and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you.
15And you are to remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I am commanding this of you today.
16But it shall come about, if he says to you, ‘I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is doing well with you,
17then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant permanently. You shall also do the same to your female slave.
18“It shall not seem difficult for you when you set him free, because he has given you six years with double the service of a hired worker; so the Lord your God will bless you in whatever you do.
19“You shall consecrate to the Lord your God all the firstborn males that are born in your herd and in your flock; you shall not work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.
20You and your household shall eat it every year before the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses.
21But if it has any impairment, such as a limp, or blindness, or any serious impairment, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.
22You shall eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it, as a gazelle or a deer.
23Only you shall not eat its blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Deuteronomy 15.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The year of release. (1–11). Concerning the release of servants. (12–18). Respecting the firstlings of cattle. (19–23).
vv1-11
This year of release typified the grace of the gospel, in which is proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord; and by which we obtain the release of our debts, that is, the pardon of our sins. The law is spiritual, and lays restraints upon the thoughts of the heart. We mistake, if we think thoughts are free from God's knowledge and check. That is a wicked heart indeed, which raises evil thoughts from the good law of God, as theirs did, who, because God had obliged them to the charity of forgiving, denied the charity of giving. Those who would keep from the act of sin, must keep out of their minds the very thought of sin. It is a dreadful thing to have the cry of the poor justly against us. Grudge not a kindness to thy brother; distrust not the providence of God. What thou doest, do freely, for God loves a cheerful giver, 2Co 9:7.
vv12-18
Here the law concerning Hebrew servants is repeated. There is an addition, requiring the masters to put some small stock into their servants' hands to set up with for themselves, when sent out of their servitude, wherein they had received no wages. We may expect family blessings, the springs of family prosperity, when we make conscience of our duty to our family relations. We are to remember that we are debtors to Divine justice, and have nothing to pay with. That we are slaves, poor, and perishing. But the Lord Jesus Christ, by becoming poor, and by shedding his blood, has made a full and free provision for the payment of our debts, the ransom of our souls, and the supply of all our wants. When the gospel is clearly preached, the acceptable year of the Lord is proclaimed; the year of release of our debts, of the deliverance of our souls, and of obtaining rest in him. And as faith in Christ and love to him prevail, they will triumph over the selfishness of the heart, and over the unkindness of the world, doing away the excuses that rise from unbelief, distrust, and covetousness.
vv19-23
Here is a direction what to do with the firstlings. We are not now limited as the Israelites were; we make no difference between a first calf, or lamb, and the rest. Let us then look to the gospel meaning of this law, devoting ourselves and the first of our time and strength to God; and using all our comforts and enjoyments to his praise, and under the direction of his law, as we have them all by his gift.
Key Words
קֵץ: an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after
שֶׁבַע: seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number
שָׁנֶה: a year (as a revolution of time)
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
שְׁמִטָּה: remission (of debt) or suspension of labor)
זֶה: the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
כֹּל: properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
שָׁמַט: to fling down; incipiently to jostle; figuratively, to let alone, desist, remit
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
Cross References
Deuteronomy 15The foundational law of releasing Hebrew servants after six years of labor.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The law concerning boring a servant's ear with an awl to denote life-long service.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Establishes the Sabbatical year of rest and release for the land and poor.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Jesus directly echoes the reality that 'the poor you always have with you'.
Supported by JFB
Jeremiah indicts Israel for violating this precise law of releasing Hebrew servants.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The parallel holiness requirement to relieve and sustain a poor brother.
Supported by John Calvin
Warns against causing a poor brother to cry unto Yahweh against thee in sin.
Supported by John Calvin
The initial command to sanctify all firstling males of herd and flock.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts the wicked who borrows and does not pay with the blessed righteous giver.
Supported by Matthew Poole
New Testament parallel emphasizing giving cheerfully and not with a grieved heart.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Command to remember Egyptian bondage as the motivation for showing mercy.
Supported by JFB
Prohibits offering any blemished animal to Yahweh, representing spiritual integrity.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Repeats the vital dietary prohibition against eating blood; it must be poured out.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Observes that the borrower is servant to the lender; Deuteronomy promises dominance.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explains the standard term of service for a hired servant, contrasting the double-term.
Supported by JFB