Deuteronomy 15

The Year for Canceling Debts and the Liberation of Hebrew Servants

4 min read

1 At the end of every seven years you shall make a release.
2 And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lends something to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbor, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD’s release.
3 Of a foreigner you may exact it again: but that which is your with your brother your hand shall release;
4 Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it:
5 Only if you carefully listen to the voice of the LORD your God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command you this day.
6 For the LORD your God blesses you, as he promised you: and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; and you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you. ¶
7 If there be among you a poor man of one of your brothers within any of your gates in your land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother:
8 But you shall open your hand wide to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wants.
9 Beware that there be not a thought in your wicked 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 the LORD against you, and it be sin to you.
10 You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him: because that for this thing the LORD your God shall bless you in all your works, and in all that you put your hand to.
11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command you, saying, You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor, and to your needy, in your land. ¶
12 And if your brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold to you, and serve you six years; then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.
13 And when you send him out free from you, you shall not let him go away empty:
14 You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, and out of your floor, and out of your wine press: of that with which the LORD your God has blessed you you shall give to him.
15 And you 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 to day.
16 And it shall be, if he say to you, I will not go away from you; because he loves you and your house, because he is well with you;
17 Then you shall take an awl, and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant for ever. And also to your maidservant you shall do likewise.
18 It shall not seem hard to you, when you send him away free from you; for he has been worth a double hired servant to you, in serving you six years: and the LORD your God shall bless you in all that you do. ¶
19 All the firstling males that come of your herd and of your flock you shall sanctify to the LORD your God: you shall do no work with the firstling of your bullock, nor shear the firstling of your sheep.
20 You shall eat it before the LORD your God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, you and your household.
21 And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.
22 You shall eat it within your gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.
23 Only you shall not eat the blood thereof; you shall pour it on the ground as water.
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