Deuteronomy 15 Commentary: Generosity, Justice, and God's Provision
At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.
And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the Lord’s release.
Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;
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:
Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.
For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.
And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:
Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.
And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.
And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;
Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.
It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.
Thou shalt eat it before the Lord thy God year by year in the place which the Lord shall choose, thou and thy household.
And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.
Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.
Deuteronomy 15 delves into the practical implications of covenant living for the Israelites, emphasizing generosity, justice, and unwavering trust in God's provision. This chapter offers profound insights into God's heart for the vulnerable and His design for a society marked by compassion. It challenges us today to examine our own attitudes toward wealth, poverty, and our responsibility to care for those in need.
The Sabbatical Year and Debt Cancellation (Deuteronomy 15:1-6)
Moses introduces the concept of the Sabbatical year, occurring every seventh year, during which debts were to be canceled (Deuteronomy 15:1). This might seem economically impractical, but it reflects God's radical plan for Israel, a system operating on principles distinct from conventional financial practices. While creditors could collect from foreigners, fellow Israelites were to be forgiven their debts (Deuteronomy 15:2-3). This wasn't merely about financial transactions; it was a tangible expression of trust in God's provision and a commitment to communal well-being.
God promised that obedience to these principles of generosity would result in blessing. There would be no poor among them (Deuteronomy 15:4-5), and Israel would lend to and rule over nations, never borrowing or being ruled by them (Deuteronomy 15:6). This promise highlights the profound link between obedience, generosity, and national prosperity. Sadly, Israel's history reveals their unfaithfulness to these economic commands, a pattern that sadly repeats itself in the church today when we fail to champion biblical justice by actively supporting the oppressed and empowering the poor.
Compassion and Generosity Towards the Poor (Deuteronomy 15:7-11)
Moses continues to stress the importance of compassion and generosity. God commanded the Israelites to be openhanded and willing to help the poor among them (Deuteronomy 15:7). They were warned against hardening their hearts or being tightfisted, especially as the Sabbatical year approached (Deuteronomy 15:7).
God, knowing the human heart, issued a stern warning: withholding help due to the approaching Sabbatical year would incur guilt in God's eyes (Deuteronomy 15:9). This might seem harsh, but it underscores the principle that true faith is demonstrated through obedience and generosity. Giving to others as God commands reveals the depth of our trust in Him and expresses our faith in His ability and willingness to provide. It demonstrates how much you value Him. The Sabbatical year served as a test of whether God's people would trust Him, even when it defied conventional wisdom. Providing for someone in need is a fulfillment of the second greatest commandment: to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18, Mark 12:28-31).
Deuteronomy 15:11 acknowledges the reality that poverty would persist due to sin, necessitating ongoing generosity towards the needy. This verse doesn't contradict Deuteronomy 15:4, which describes God's ideal for a society marked by obedience.
Release of Servants in the Seventh Year (Deuteronomy 15:12-18)
The chapter extends the Sabbatical year provisions to Hebrew servants. A fellow Israelite, burdened by debt, could sell himself into servitude. However, they were to be set free in the seventh year (Deuteronomy 15:12; see also Leviticus 25:39-42).
Furthermore, the released servant was not to be sent away empty-handed. They were to be generously provided with resources to start anew, reflecting the Lord's blessing (Deuteronomy 15:13-14). The Israelites were reminded of their own past as slaves in Egypt (Deuteronomy 15:15), fostering empathy and motivating them to treat their servants with kindness and generosity. Moses reminds them that receiving six years of hard work without paying a hired worker is a good deal (Deuteronomy 15:18). However, if a servant desired to remain with his master out of love, provision was made for him to stay for life (Deuteronomy 15:16-17).
Israel's failure to uphold the Sabbatical years and the Year of Jubilee, as detailed elsewhere (Leviticus 25:1-55), ultimately led to their exile. God warned them that rejecting His commands would result in their expulsion from the land, allowing the land to enjoy its Sabbath rests (Leviticus 26:33-35), and that's exactly what happened (2 Chronicles 36:20-21).
Dedication of Firstborn Animals (Deuteronomy 15:19-23)
The chapter concludes with instructions regarding the dedication of firstborn male animals to the Lord. Recalling their liberation from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 15:15), the Israelites understood that every firstborn male among their animals belonged to God (Deuteronomy 15:19). These choice animals were to be brought to the sanctuary for sacrifice. Animals with defects could be eaten at home, provided the blood was properly drained (Deuteronomy 15:20-23). This act symbolized the dedication of their best to God and acknowledged His ownership of all they possessed.
Deuteronomy 15 challenges us to examine our own hearts and actions in light of God's call to generosity, justice, and trust. It calls us to reflect God’s character in our financial dealings and to actively seek ways to care for the vulnerable in our communities.
At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.
And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the Lord’s release.
Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;
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:
Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.
For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.
And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:
Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.
And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.
And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;
Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.
It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.
Thou shalt eat it before the Lord thy God year by year in the place which the Lord shall choose, thou and thy household.
And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God.
Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.
Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.
Deuteronomy 15 delves into the practical implications of covenant living for the Israelites, emphasizing generosity, justice, and unwavering trust in God's provision. This chapter offers profound insights into God's heart for the vulnerable and His design for a society marked by compassion. It challenges us today to examine our own attitudes toward wealth, poverty, and our responsibility to care for those in need.
The Sabbatical Year and Debt Cancellation (Deuteronomy 15:1-6)
Moses introduces the concept of the Sabbatical year, occurring every seventh year, during which debts were to be canceled (Deuteronomy 15:1). This might seem economically impractical, but it reflects God's radical plan for Israel, a system operating on principles distinct from conventional financial practices. While creditors could collect from foreigners, fellow Israelites were to be forgiven their debts (Deuteronomy 15:2-3). This wasn't merely about financial transactions; it was a tangible expression of trust in God's provision and a commitment to communal well-being.
God promised that obedience to these principles of generosity would result in blessing. There would be no poor among them (Deuteronomy 15:4-5), and Israel would lend to and rule over nations, never borrowing or being ruled by them (Deuteronomy 15:6). This promise highlights the profound link between obedience, generosity, and national prosperity. Sadly, Israel's history reveals their unfaithfulness to these economic commands, a pattern that sadly repeats itself in the church today when we fail to champion biblical justice by actively supporting the oppressed and empowering the poor.
Compassion and Generosity Towards the Poor (Deuteronomy 15:7-11)
Moses continues to stress the importance of compassion and generosity. God commanded the Israelites to be openhanded and willing to help the poor among them (Deuteronomy 15:7). They were warned against hardening their hearts or being tightfisted, especially as the Sabbatical year approached (Deuteronomy 15:7).
God, knowing the human heart, issued a stern warning: withholding help due to the approaching Sabbatical year would incur guilt in God's eyes (Deuteronomy 15:9). This might seem harsh, but it underscores the principle that true faith is demonstrated through obedience and generosity. Giving to others as God commands reveals the depth of our trust in Him and expresses our faith in His ability and willingness to provide. It demonstrates how much you value Him. The Sabbatical year served as a test of whether God's people would trust Him, even when it defied conventional wisdom. Providing for someone in need is a fulfillment of the second greatest commandment: to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18, Mark 12:28-31).
Deuteronomy 15:11 acknowledges the reality that poverty would persist due to sin, necessitating ongoing generosity towards the needy. This verse doesn't contradict Deuteronomy 15:4, which describes God's ideal for a society marked by obedience.
Release of Servants in the Seventh Year (Deuteronomy 15:12-18)
The chapter extends the Sabbatical year provisions to Hebrew servants. A fellow Israelite, burdened by debt, could sell himself into servitude. However, they were to be set free in the seventh year (Deuteronomy 15:12; see also Leviticus 25:39-42).
Furthermore, the released servant was not to be sent away empty-handed. They were to be generously provided with resources to start anew, reflecting the Lord's blessing (Deuteronomy 15:13-14). The Israelites were reminded of their own past as slaves in Egypt (Deuteronomy 15:15), fostering empathy and motivating them to treat their servants with kindness and generosity. Moses reminds them that receiving six years of hard work without paying a hired worker is a good deal (Deuteronomy 15:18). However, if a servant desired to remain with his master out of love, provision was made for him to stay for life (Deuteronomy 15:16-17).
Israel's failure to uphold the Sabbatical years and the Year of Jubilee, as detailed elsewhere (Leviticus 25:1-55), ultimately led to their exile. God warned them that rejecting His commands would result in their expulsion from the land, allowing the land to enjoy its Sabbath rests (Leviticus 26:33-35), and that's exactly what happened (2 Chronicles 36:20-21).
Dedication of Firstborn Animals (Deuteronomy 15:19-23)
The chapter concludes with instructions regarding the dedication of firstborn male animals to the Lord. Recalling their liberation from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 15:15), the Israelites understood that every firstborn male among their animals belonged to God (Deuteronomy 15:19). These choice animals were to be brought to the sanctuary for sacrifice. Animals with defects could be eaten at home, provided the blood was properly drained (Deuteronomy 15:20-23). This act symbolized the dedication of their best to God and acknowledged His ownership of all they possessed.
Deuteronomy 15 challenges us to examine our own hearts and actions in light of God's call to generosity, justice, and trust. It calls us to reflect God’s character in our financial dealings and to actively seek ways to care for the vulnerable in our communities.