Every
seventh year you shall grant a remission of debts.1
And this is the manner of the remission: every creditor shall remit
the claim that is held against a neighbour, not exacting it from a
neighbour who is a member of the community, because the Lord’s
remission2
has been proclaimed. From a foreigner you may exact it,3
but you must remit your claim on whatever any member of your
community owes you. There will, however, be no one in need among you,
because the Lord
is sure to bless you in the land that the Lord
your God is giving you as a possession to occupy,4
if only you will obey the Lord
your God by diligently observing this entire commandment that I
command you today.5
When the Lord
your God has blessed 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.6
If there is among you anyone in need,7 a member of your community in any of your towns8 within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour. You should rather open your hand, willingly9 lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be.10 Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, ‘The seventh year, the year of remission, is near’, and therefore view your needy neighbour with hostility and give nothing;11 your neighbour might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt.12 Give liberally13 and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.14 Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth,15 I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land.’16
If a member of your community, whether a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and works for you for six years,17 in the seventh year you shall set that person free. And when you send a male slaveout from you a free person, you shall not send him out empty-handed.Provide liberally out of your flock, your threshing-floor, and your wine press, thus giving to him some of the bounty with which the Lord your God has blessed you.18 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; for this reason I lay this command upon you today.19 But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you’, because he loves you and your household,20 since he is well off with you,21 then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his earlobe into the door,22 and he shall be your slave for ever.23
You shall do the same with regard to your female slave.24
Do not consider it a hardship when you send them out from you free persons, because for six years they have given you services worth the wages of hired labourers; and the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.25
Take-home: Compassion to the poor and the slave must be built into the rules of society, and must be felt in the heart as well as performed in actions.
If there is among you anyone in need,7 a member of your community in any of your towns8 within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour. You should rather open your hand, willingly9 lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be.10 Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, ‘The seventh year, the year of remission, is near’, and therefore view your needy neighbour with hostility and give nothing;11 your neighbour might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt.12 Give liberally13 and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.14 Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth,15 I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land.’16
If a member of your community, whether a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and works for you for six years,17 in the seventh year you shall set that person free. And when you send a male slaveout from you a free person, you shall not send him out empty-handed.Provide liberally out of your flock, your threshing-floor, and your wine press, thus giving to him some of the bounty with which the Lord your God has blessed you.18 Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; for this reason I lay this command upon you today.19 But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you’, because he loves you and your household,20 since he is well off with you,21 then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his earlobe into the door,22 and he shall be your slave for ever.23
You shall do the same with regard to your female slave.24
Do not consider it a hardship when you send them out from you free persons, because for six years they have given you services worth the wages of hired labourers; and the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.25
Take-home: Compassion to the poor and the slave must be built into the rules of society, and must be felt in the heart as well as performed in actions.
Deuteronomy
15:19-23
Every firstling male born of your herd and flock you shall consecrate to the Lord your God;26 you shall not do work with your firstling ox nor shear the firstling of your flock. You shall eat it, you together with your household,27 in the presence of the Lord your God year by year at the place that the Lord will choose. But if it has any defect—any serious defect, such as lameness or blindness—you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God;28 within your towns you may eat it, the unclean and the clean alike, as you would a gazelle or deer. Its blood, however, you must not eat;29 you shall pour it out on the ground like water.
1 After Exodus and Leviticus, this is the 3rd book in the Pentatuch to stress the importance of the Sabbatical year. The more I consider this, the more the social justice involved year is incredible.
Every firstling male born of your herd and flock you shall consecrate to the Lord your God;26 you shall not do work with your firstling ox nor shear the firstling of your flock. You shall eat it, you together with your household,27 in the presence of the Lord your God year by year at the place that the Lord will choose. But if it has any defect—any serious defect, such as lameness or blindness—you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God;28 within your towns you may eat it, the unclean and the clean alike, as you would a gazelle or deer. Its blood, however, you must not eat;29 you shall pour it out on the ground like water.
1 After Exodus and Leviticus, this is the 3rd book in the Pentatuch to stress the importance of the Sabbatical year. The more I consider this, the more the social justice involved year is incredible.
2
This is God's remission, not to be disobeyed.
3
Foreigners aren't a part of this sabbatical
4
Quite a hopeful statement. How much will correct actions among the
Israelites determine this? Apparently a lot, since just a couple
verses later it is clear that it won't happen.
5
Again, this will only come if they obey the commandments!
6
A new blessing upon the nation that I don't believe had been
proclaimed before.
7
Anyone!
8
Any of your towns!
9
The lending must be down willingly
10
Whatever it may be!
11
Don't use the Sabbath year as an excuse.
12
God will clearly judge you.
13
Again, give liberally.
14
Again, the Lord will repay with a blessing.
15
Because they won't do what was necessary in verses 4-5?
16
Reiterating the command to make it clear.
17
Slavery seems to at least be somewhat okay.
18
Fascinating compassion towards newly freed slaves, which has no
immediate benefit to the giver.
19
Sympathy/empathy in response to slavery is called for again.
20
My Study Bible points out the possibility that his family may still
be enslaved, and he may just not want to leave them.
21
The possibility that in some cases, slavery is better than the
alternative.
22
Sounds kind of demeaning.
23
Is “slave for ever” the only option? Crazy lopsided power
dynamic.
24
Gender equality in this command.
25
A last exhortation to try to prevent negative thoughts which may
lead to a failure to follow through with the commands.
26
As has already been mentioned in chapter 11 and other books,
sacrificing the 1st-born is an important act of trust and thanks to
God.
27
It is a communal act.
28
As in previous books, only things without defects can be sacrificed,
both as a sign of God's holiness and as a worthy sacrifice/offering
to Him.
29
Again, the “life” symbolism of the blood forbid it from being
eaten.
Take-home: Israelites are reminded to sacrifice the firstborn of their herd and flock to God.
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