Deuteronomy15
New King James Version
1“At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts.
2And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the Lord’s release.
3Of a foreigner you may require it; but you shall give up your claim to what is owed by your brother,
4except when there may be no poor among you; for the Lord will greatly bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance—
5only if you carefully obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe with care all these commandments which I command you today.
6For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.
7“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother,
8but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.
9Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand,’ and your eye be evil against your poor brother and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the Lord against you, and it become sin among you.
10You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.
11For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’
12“If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.
13And when you send him away free from you, you shall not let him go away empty-handed;
14you shall supply him liberally from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your winepress. From what the Lord your God has blessed you with, you shall give to him.
15You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this thing today.
16And if it happens that he says to you, ‘I will not go away from you,’ because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you,
17then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise.
18It shall not seem hard to you when you send him away free from you; for he has been worth a double hired servant in serving you six years. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.
19“All the firstborn males that come from your herd and your flock you shall sanctify to the Lord your God; you shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.
20You and your household shall eat it before the Lord your God year by year in the place which the Lord chooses.
21But if there is a defect in it, if it is lame or blind or has any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.
22You may eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean person alike may eat it, as if it were a gazelle or a deer.
23Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it 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