THE FIFTH BOOK OF
MOSES,
called
D E U T E R O N O M Y
Deuteronomy 15 ©
When and how they were to keep the year of release, v. 1, etc. A strict charge to provide for the poor in Israel, with a promise of God’s blessing in so doing, 7. Of releasing men and maid-servants among the Hebrews that were bought, likewise how they were to be dealt with if they desired to abide in servitude, 12. Of consecrating the first-born of cattle, 19.
ATa the 1end of every seven years thou shalt 2make a 3release.
And this is the 4manner of the release: Every 5creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; 6because it is called 7the LORD’S release.
Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine 8with thy brother thine hand shall release;
9Save when there shall be no 10poor among you; 11for the LORD shall 12greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:
Only if thou 13carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.
14For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thoub 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 15one 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 16wide unto him, and shalt 17surely lend him 18sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
Beware that there be not a 19thought in thy 20wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be 21evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be 22sin unto thee.
Thouc shalt 23surely give him, and thine heart shall not be 24grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, 25and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
For thed poor 26shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand 27wide unto thy brother, to 28thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
¶And ife thy brother, an 29Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be 30sold unto thee, 31and 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 32liberally 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, 33because he is well with thee;
Then thou shalt take anf aul,g and 34thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant 35for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.
It shall not seem 36hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth 37a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
¶Allh the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt 38sanctify 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 39household.
Andi 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 40roebuck, and as the hart.
Onlyj thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; 41thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.