2 And this is the manner H1697 of the release: H8059 Every creditor H1167 H4874 H3027 that lendeth H5383 ought unto his neighbour H7453 shall release H8058 it; he shall not exact H5065 it of his neighbour, H7453 or of his brother; H251 because it is called H7121 the LORD'S H3068 release. H8059
Then I consulted H4427 with myself, H3820 and I rebuked H7378 the nobles, H2715 and the rulers, H5461 and said H559 unto them, Ye exact H5378 H5383 H5375 usury, H4855 every one H376 of his brother. H251 And I set H5414 a great H1419 assembly H6952 against them. And I said H559 unto them, We after our ability H1767 have redeemed H7069 our brethren H251 the Jews, H3064 which were sold H4376 unto the heathen; H1471 and will ye even sell H4376 your brethren? H251 or shall they be sold H4376 unto us? Then held they their peace, H2790 and found H4672 nothing H1697 to answer. Also I said, H559 It is not good H2896 that H1697 ye do: H6213 ought ye not to walk H3212 in the fear H3374 of our God H430 because of the reproach H2781 of the heathen H1471 our enemies? H341 I likewise, and my brethren, H251 and my servants, H5288 might exact H5383 of them money H3701 and corn: H1715 I pray you, let us leave off H5800 this usury. H4855 Restore, H7725 I pray you, to them, even this day, H3117 their lands, H7704 their vineyards, H3754 their oliveyards, H2132 and their houses, H1004 also the hundredth H3967 part of the money, H3701 and of the corn, H1715 the wine, H8492 and the oil, H3323 that ye exact H5383 of them.
Hear H8085 this, O ye that swallow up H7602 the needy, H34 even to make H7673 the poor H6041 H6035 of the land H776 to fail, H7673 Saying, H559 When will the new moon H2320 be gone, H5674 that we may sell H7666 corn? H7668 and the sabbath, H7676 that we may set forth H6605 wheat, H1250 making the ephah H374 small, H6994 and the shekel H8255 great, H1431 and falsifying H5791 the balances H3976 by deceit? H4820 That we may buy H7069 the poor H1800 for silver, H3701 and the needy H34 for a pair of shoes; H5275 yea, and sell H7666 the refuse H4651 of the wheat? H1250
For G1063 if G1437 ye forgive G863 men G444 their G846 trespasses, G3900 your G5216 heavenly G3770 Father G3962 will also G2532 forgive G863 you: G5213 But G1161 if G3362 ye forgive G863 not G3362 men G444 their G846 trespasses, G3900 neither G3761 will your G5216 Father G3962 forgive G863 your G5216 trespasses. G3900
But forasmuch as G1161 he G846 had G2192 not G3361 to pay, G591 his G846 lord G2962 commanded G2753 him G846 to be sold, G4097 and G2532 his G846 wife, G1135 and G2532 children, G5043 and G2532 all G3956 that G3745 he had, G2192 and G2532 payment to be made. G591 The servant G1401 therefore G3767 fell down, G4098 and worshipped G4352 him, G846 saying, G3004 Lord, G2962 have patience G3114 with G1909 me, G1698 and G2532 I will pay G591 thee G4671 all. G3956 Then G1161 the lord G2962 of that G1565 servant G1401 was moved with compassion, G4697 and loosed G630 him, G846 and G2532 forgave G863 him G846 the debt. G1156 But G1161 the same G1565 servant G1401 went out, G1831 and found G2147 one G1520 of his G846 fellowservants, G4889 which G3739 owed G3784 him G846 an hundred G1540 pence: G1220 and G2532 he laid hands G2902 on him, G846 and took him by the throat, G4155 saying, G3004 Pay G591 me G3427 that G3748 thou owest. G3784 And G3767 his G846 fellowservant G4889 fell down G4098 at G1519 his G846 feet, G4228 and besought G3870 him, G846 saying, G3004 Have patience G3114 with G1909 me, G1698 and G2532 I will pay G591 thee G4671 all. G3956 And G1161 he would G2309 not: G3756 but G235 went G565 and cast G906 him G846 into G1519 prison, G5438 till G2193 G3757 he should pay G591 the debt. G3784 So G1161 when his G846 fellowservants G4889 saw G1492 what was done, G1096 they were very G4970 sorry, G3076 and G2532 came G2064 and told G1285 unto their G846 lord G2962 all G3956 that was done. G1096 Then G5119 his G846 lord, G2962 after that he had called G4341 him, G846 said G3004 unto him, G846 O thou wicked G4190 servant, G1401 I forgave G863 thee G4671 all G3956 that G1565 debt, G3782 because G1893 thou desiredst G3870 me: G3165 Shouldest G1163 not G3756 thou G4571 also G2532 have had compassion G1653 on thy G4675 fellowservant, G4889 even G2532 as G5613 I G1473 had pity G1653 on thee? G4571 And G2532 his G846 lord G2962 was wroth, G3710 and delivered G3860 him G846 to the tormentors, G930 till G2193 G3757 he should pay G591 all G3956 that was due G3784 unto him. G846 So G3779 likewise shall my G3450 heavenly G2032 Father G3962 do G4160 also G2532 unto you, G5213 if G3362 ye from G575 your G5216 hearts G2588 forgive G863 not G3362 every one G1538 his G846 brother G80 their G846 trespasses. G3900
And G2532 if G1437 ye lend G1155 to them of G3844 whom G3739 ye hope G1679 G1679 to receive, G618 what G4169 thank G5485 have G2076 ye? G5213 for G1063 sinners G268 also G2532 lend G1155 to sinners, G268 to G2443 receive G618 as much G2470 again. G618 But G4133 love ye G25 your G5216 enemies, G2190 and G2532 do good, G15 and G2532 lend, G1155 hoping G560 for nothing G3367 again; G560 and G2532 your G5216 reward G3408 shall be G2071 great, G4183 and G2532 ye shall be G2071 the children G5207 of the Highest: G5310 for G3754 he G846 is G2076 kind G5543 unto G1909 the unthankful G884 and G2532 to the evil. G4190 Be ye G1096 therefore G3767 merciful, G3629 as G2531 your G5216 Father G3962 also G2532 is G2076 merciful. G3629 G2532 Judge G2919 not, G3361 and G2532 ye shall G2919 not G3364 be judged: G2919 condemn G2613 not, G3361 and G2532 ye shall G2613 not G3364 be condemned: G2613 forgive, G630 and G2532 ye shall be forgiven: G630 Give, G1325 and G2532 it shall be given G1325 unto you; G5213 good G2570 measure, G3358 pressed down, G4085 and G2532 shaken together, G4531 and G2532 running over, G5240 shall men give G1325 into G1519 your G5216 bosom. G2859 For G1063 with the same G846 measure G3358 that G3739 ye mete withal G3354 it shall be measured G488 to you G5213 again. G488
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Deuteronomy 15
Commentary on Deuteronomy 15 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 15
De 15:1-11. The Seventh Year, a Year of Release for the Poor.
1. At the end of every seven years—during the last of the seven, that is, the sabbatical year (Ex 21:2; 23:11; Le 25:4; Jer 34:14).
2. Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it—not by an absolute discharge of the debt, but by passing over that year without exacting payment. The relief was temporary and peculiar to that year during which there was a total suspension of agricultural labor.
he shall not exact it … of his brother—that is, an Israelite, so called in opposition to a stranger or foreigner.
because it is called the Lord's release—The reason for acquitting a debtor at that particular period proceeded from obedience to the command, and a regard for the honor, of God; an acknowledgment of holding their property of Him, and gratitude for His kindness.
3. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again—Admission to all the religious privileges of the Israelites was freely granted to heathen proselytes, though this spiritual incorporation did not always imply an equal participation of civil rights and privileges (Le 25:44; Jer 34:14; compare 1Ch 22:2; 2Ch 2:17).
4. Save when there shall be no poor man among you—Apparently a qualifying clause added to limit the application of the foregoing statement [De 15:3]; so that "the brother" to be released pointed to a poor borrower, whereas it is implied that if he were rich, the restoration of the loan might be demanded even during that year. But the words may properly be rendered (as on the Margin) to the end, in order that there may be no poor among you—that is, that none be reduced to inconvenient straits and poverty by unseasonable exaction of debts at a time when there was no labor and no produce, and that all may enjoy comfort and prosperity, which will be the case through the special blessing of God on the land, provided they are obedient.
7-11. If there be among you a poor man … thou shalt not harden thine heart—Lest the foregoing law should prevent the Israelites lending to the poor, Moses here admonishes them against so mean and selfish a spirit and exhorts them to give in a liberal spirit of charity and kindness, which will secure the divine blessing (Ro 12:8; 2Co 9:7).
11. For the poor shall never cease out of the land—Although every Israelite on the conquest of Canaan became the owner of property, yet in the providence of God who foresaw the event, it was permitted, partly as a punishment of disobedience and partly for the exercise of benevolent and charitable feelings, that "the poor should never cease out of the land."
De 15:12-19. Hebrew Servants' Freedom.
12. if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee—The last extremity of an insolvent debtor, when his house or land was not sufficient to cancel his debt, was to be sold as a slave with his family (Le 25:39; 2Ki 4:1; Ne 5:1-13; Job 24:9; Mt 18:25). The term of servitude could not last beyond six years. They obtained their freedom either after six years from the time of their sale or before the end of the seventh year. At the year of jubilee, such slaves were emancipated even if their six years of service were not completed [see on Le 25:39].
13-15. thou shalt not let him go away empty—A seasonable and wise provision for enabling a poor unfortunate to regain his original status in society, and the motive urged for his kindness and humanity to the Hebrew slave was the remembrance that the whole nation was once a degraded and persecuted band of helots in Egypt. Thus, kindness towards their slaves, unparalleled elsewhere in those days, was inculcated by the Mosaic law; and in all their conduct towards persons in that reduced condition, leniency and gentleness were enforced by an appeal which no Israelite could resist.
16, 17. if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee—If they declined to avail themselves of the privilege of release and chose to remain with their master, then by a peculiar form of ceremony they became a party to the transaction, voluntarily sold themselves to their employer, and continued in his service till death.
18. he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee—that is, he is entitled to double wages because his service was more advantageous to you, being both without wages and for a length of time, whereas hired servants were engaged yearly (Le 25:53), or at most for three years (Isa 16:14).
19. All the firstling males of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God—[See on Ex 13:2]; see Ex 22:30).
thou shalt do not work with the firstling of thy bullock—that is, the second firstlings (see De 12:17, 18; 14:23).