Deuteronomy 15: Verse-by-Verse Commentary (with Videos)

23 verses · 4 video commentaries from 3 courses · Berean Standard Bible

¹At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.

²This is the manner of remission: Every creditor shall cancel what he has loaned to his neighbor. He is not to collect anything from his neighbor or brother, because the LORD’s time of release has been proclaimed.

³You may collect something from a foreigner, but you must forgive whatever your brother owes you.

⁴There will be no poor among you, however, because the LORD will surely bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance,

⁵if only you obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commandments I am giving you today.

⁶When the LORD your God blesses you as He has promised, you will lend to many nations but borrow from none; you will rule over many nations but be ruled by none.

⁷If there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother.

⁸Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him whatever he needs.

⁹Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

¹⁰Give generously to him, and do not let your heart be grieved when you do so. And because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything to which you put your hand.

¹¹For there will never cease to be poor in the land; that is why I am commanding you to open wide your hand to your brother and to the poor and needy in your land.

¹²If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you must set him free.

¹³And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed.

¹⁴You are to furnish him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor, and your winepress. You shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you.

¹⁵Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; that is why I am giving you this command today.

¹⁶But if your servant says to you, ‘I do not want to leave you,’ because he loves you and your household and is well off with you,

¹⁷then take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he will become your servant for life. And treat your maidservant the same way.

¹⁸Do not regard it as a hardship to set your servant free, because his six years of service were worth twice the wages of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in all you do.

¹⁹You must set apart to the LORD your God every firstborn male produced by your herds and flocks. You are not to put the firstborn of your oxen to work, nor are you to shear the firstborn of your flock.

²⁰Each year you and your household are to eat it before the LORD your God in the place the LORD will choose.

²¹But if an animal has a defect, is lame or blind, or has any serious flaw, you must not sacrifice it to the LORD your God.

²²Eat it within your gates; both the ceremonially unclean and clean may eat it as they would a gazelle or a deer.

²³But you must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

Deuteronomy 15 Section and Chapter Commentary

Deut 15:7-11

Jewish tradition emphasizes giving excess funds to the needy

Unlike the Greek and Roman world, where helping the poor was often viewed with skepticism, Jewish tradition mandated that excess funds should be directed towards the poor and needy within the community. This teaching, found throughout the Hebrew Bible, was embraced by Jesus, who radicalized it by suggesting one should give away everything, not just the excess.

Summarized by AI · Through the Eye of a Needle: Jesus's Teachings on Wealth and Their Modern Relevance · Lecture 7: Salubrious Developments · watch the clip

Deut 15:12-18

Evolution of Slave Laws in the Old Testament

The Old Testament shows an evolution in slave laws, particularly between Leviticus and Deuteronomy, where it becomes nearly impossible for an Israelite to enslave another Israelite for an extended period. This progression suggests a potential trajectory towards broader abolition, even if the biblical tradition doesn't explicitly reach the point of condemning all slavery.

Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Is Jesus For Non-Christians, Too? · watch the clip

Utopian Stipulations in Deuteronomic and Holiness Codes

Some biblical passages, like Deuteronomy 15 and Leviticus 25, introduce stipulations for slavery that appear idealistic or utopian. For instance, Deuteronomy 15 instructs Israelites to provide provisions to Israelite debt slaves upon their release after six years, with the expectation of divine intervention to offset economic loss. Scholars suggest these provisions were likely not widely practiced due to their impracticality without supernatural aid.

Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Slavery in the Bible · watch the clip

Deuteronomy 15 Verse Notes

Deut 15:11

Jewish tradition mandates care for the poor

The Torah explicitly commands the care of the poor, widows, orphans, and strangers, emphasizing that these vulnerable groups are under God's special protection and therefore must be cared for by the community. This tradition counters any notion that Jewish thought despises the poor or discourages charitable giving.

Summarized by AI · The Parables of Jesus: Jewish Insights into Gospel Ethics, Humor, and Provocation · Lecture 3: Laborers and Management in the Vineyard | How to Assess Kingdom Economics · watch the clip