Deuteronomy15
World English Bible · Public Domain
1At the end of every seven years, you shall cancel debts.
2This is the way it shall be done: every creditor shall release that which he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not require payment from his neighbor and his brother, because Yahweh’s release has been proclaimed.
3Of a foreigner you may require it; but whatever of yours is with your brother, your hand shall release.
4However there will be no poor with you (for Yahweh will surely bless you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance to possess)
5if only you diligently listen to Yahweh your God’s voice, to observe to do all this commandment which I command you today.
6For Yahweh your God will bless you, as he promised you. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. You will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.
7If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother;
8but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, which he lacks.
9Beware that there not 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 to Yahweh against you, and it be sin to you.
10You shall surely give, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because it is for this thing Yahweh your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you put your hand to.
11For the poor will never cease out of the land. Therefore I command you to surely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor, in your land.
12If 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.
13When you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty.
14You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your wine press. As Yahweh your God has blessed you, you shall give to him.
15You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Yahweh your God redeemed you. Therefore I command you this thing today.
16It shall be, if he tells you, “I will not go out from you,” because he loves you and your house, because he is well 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 let him go free from you, for he has been double the value of a hired hand as he served you six years. Yahweh your God will bless you in all that you do.
19You shall dedicate all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock to Yahweh your God. You shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.
20You shall eat it before Yahweh your God year by year in the place which Yahweh shall choose, you and your household.
21If it has any defect—is lame or blind, or has any defect whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God.
22You shall eat it within your gates. The unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle and as the deer.
23Only you shall not eat its blood. You shall 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