Deuteronomy 15:7-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 15:1-11

Here is, I. A law for the relief of poor debtors, such (we may suppose) as were insolvent. Every seventh year was a year of release, in which the ground rested from being tilled and servants were discharged from their services; and, among other acts of grace, this was one, that those who had borrowed money, and had not been able to pay it before, should this year be released from it; and though, if they were able, they were afterwards bound in conscience to repay it, yet thenceforth the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 15:12-18

Here is, I. A repetition of the law that had been given concerning Hebrew servants who had sold themselves for servants, or were sold by their parents through extreme poverty, or were sold by the court of judgment for some crime committed. The law was, 1. That they should serve but six years, and in the seventh should go out free, Deut. 15:12. Compare Exod. 21:2. And, if the year of jubilee happened before they served out their time, that would be their discharge. God's Israel were a free... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 15:7

If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren ,.... As there would be, according to the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem, if they did not keep the commandments of the law, and continue therein: within any of thy gates, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee ; a native of the land was to be preferred to a foreigner, and a brother, whether in relation or religion, to a proselyte of the gate; and the poor of a city to which a man belonged, to the poor of another city, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 15:8

But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him ,.... And give him bountifully and liberally; in order to which the heart must be first opened, the affections moved, and a willing mind disposed to give generously: and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth : enough to answer his present exigencies, but not to cause him to abound, or to supply him with things needless and superfluous. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 15:9

Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart ,.... "Or, thy heart of Belial" F6 לבבך בליעל "corde tuo Belial", Montanus. ; thy worthless heart, and which is without a yoke not subjected to the law of God, as every carnal heart is; and in which Belial, Satan, the prince of this world, works effectually, and inclines to evil thoughts, afflictions, and desires, which are to be guarded against: saying, the seventh year, the year of release, is at hand : perhaps next year,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 15:10

Thou shall surely give him ,.... Or lend to him; though lending in such a case and circumstances, that person being extremely poor, and the year of release at hand, is the same as giving. Jarchi remarks that money must be given him, even a hundred times if he asks it; but the limitation is to what he wants, and what is sufficient for his present wants, Deuteronomy 15:8 . and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him ; grieved at parting with his money he has little or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 15:11

For the poor shall never cease out of the land ,.... There would be always such objects to exercise their charity and beneficence towards, John 12:8 , which is no contradiction to Deuteronomy 15:4 for had they been obedient to the laws of God, they would have been so blessed that there would have been none; so the Targums; but he foresaw that they would not keep his commands, and so this would be the case, and which he foretells that they might expect it, and do their duty to them, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 15:12

And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee ,.... By others, as by the sanhedrim for theft, for which a man might be sold, but not a woman, as Jarchi observes; but then a father might sell his daughter for an handmaid, if little and under age; and to such cases this law is supposed to refer; see Exodus 21:2 though a man on account of poverty might sell himself: and serve thee six years ; as he was bound to do, if his master lived so long; if he died before... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 15:13

And when thou sendest him out free from thee ,.... When he discharged him from his servitude, and made him a free man: thou shall not let him go away empty ; without anything to support himself, or to put himself in a way of business; he having in the time of his servitude worked entirely for his master, and so could not have got and saved anything for himself. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 15:14

Thou shalt furnish him liberally ,.... Not only to supply his present wants, but for his future use, and to set him up in the world: "loading thou shall load him" F8 העניק תעניק "onerando oneratis", Munster, Pagninus, Vatablus. , so some render the words; give him as much as he can carry, and well stand up under; the word used has the signification of chains wore about the neck for honour or ornament, and so may signify he should be very honourably dismissed, with plain marks of... read more

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