151 'At the end of seven years thou dost make a release, 2 and this 'is' the matter of the release: Every owner of a loan 'is' to release his hand which he doth lift up against his neighbour, he doth not exact of his neighbour and of his brother, but hath proclaimed a release to Jehovah; 3 of the stranger thou mayest exact, and that which is thine with thy brother doth thy hand release; 4 only when there is no needy one with thee, for Jehovah doth greatly bless thee in the land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee—an inheritance to possess it. 5 'Only, if thou dost diligently hearken to the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all this command which I am commanding thee to-day, 6 for Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee as He hath spoken to thee; and thou hast lent 'to' many nations, and thou hast not borrowed; and thou hast ruled over many nations, and over thee they do not rule.
7 'When there is with thee any needy one of one of thy brethren, in one of thy cities, in thy land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, thou dost not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy needy brother; 8 for thou dost certainly open thy hand to him, and dost certainly lend him sufficient for his lack which he lacketh. 9 'Take heed to thee lest there be a word in thy heart—worthless, saying, Near 'is' the seventh year, the year of release; and thine eye is evil against thy needy brother, and thou dost not give to him, and he hath called concerning thee unto Jehovah, and it hath been in thee sin; 10 thou dost certainly give to him, and thy heart is not sad in thy giving to him, for because of this thing doth Jehovah thy God bless thee in all thy works, and in every putting forth of thy hand; 11 because the needy one doth not cease out of the land, therefore I am commanding thee, saying, Thou dost certainly open thy hand to thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy one, in thy land.
12 'When thy brother is sold to thee, a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, and he hath served thee six years—then in the seventh year thou dost send him away free from thee. 13 And when thou dost send him away free from thee, thou dost not send him away empty; 14 thou dost certainly encircle him out of thy flock, and out of thy threshing-floor, and out of thy wine-vat; 'of' that which Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee thou dost give to him, 15 and thou hast remembered that a servant thou hast been in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God doth ransom thee; therefore I am commanding thee this thing to-day. 16 'And it hath been, when he saith unto thee, I go not out from thee—because he hath loved thee, and thy house, because 'it is' good for him with thee— 17 then thou hast taken the awl, and hast put 'it' through his ear, and through the door, and he hath been to thee a servant age-during; and also to thy handmaid thou dost do so. 18 'It is not hard in thine eyes, in thy sending him away free from thee; for the double of the hire of an hireling he hath served thee six years, and Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee in all that thou dost.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 15:1-18
Commentary on Deuteronomy 15:1-11
(Read Deuteronomy 15:1-11)
This year of release typified the grace of the gospel, in which is proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord; and by which we obtain the release of our debts, that is, the pardon of our sins. The law is spiritual, and lays restraints upon the thoughts of the heart. We mistake, if we think thoughts are free from God's knowledge and check. That is a wicked heart indeed, which raises evil thoughts from the good law of God, as theirs did, who, because God had obliged them to the charity of forgiving, denied the charity of giving. Those who would keep from the act of sin, must keep out of their minds the very thought of sin. It is a dreadful thing to have the cry of the poor justly against us. Grudge not a kindness to thy brother; distrust not the providence of God. What thou doest, do freely, for God loves a cheerful giver, 2 Corinthians 9:7.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 15:12-18
(Read Deuteronomy 15:12-18)
Here the law concerning Hebrew servants is repeated. There is an addition, requiring the masters to put some small stock into their servants' hands to set up with for themselves, when sent out of their servitude, wherein they had received no wages. We may expect family blessings, the springs of family prosperity, when we make conscience of our duty to our family relations. We are to remember that we are debtors to Divine justice, and have nothing to pay with. That we are slaves, poor, and perishing. But the Lord Jesus Christ, by becoming poor, and by shedding his blood, has made a full and free provision for the payment of our debts, the ransom of our souls, and the supply of all our wants. When the gospel is clearly preached, the acceptable year of the Lord is proclaimed; the year of release of our debts, of the deliverance of our souls, and of obtaining rest in him. And as faith in Christ and love to him prevail, they will triumph over the selfishness of the heart, and over the unkindness of the world, doing away the excuses that rise from unbelief, distrust, and covetousness.