Albert Barnes Commentary Deuteronomy 15
Albert Barnes Commentary
Deuteronomy 15
Albert Barnes Commentary
Deuteronomy 15
"At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release. And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he hath lent unto his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because Jehovah`s release hath been proclaimed. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it: but whatsoever of thine is with thy brother thy hand shall release. Howbeit there shall be no poor with thee; (for Jehovah will surely bless thee in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it;) if only thou diligently hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to observe to do all this commandment which I command thee this day. For Jehovah thy God will bless thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over thee. If there be with thee a poor man, one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates in thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy poor brother; but thou shalt surely open thy hand unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need [in that] which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a base thought in thy heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou give him nought; and he cry unto Jehovah against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; because that for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy work, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto. For the poor will never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt surely open thy hand unto thy brother, to thy needy, and to thy poor, in thy land." — Deuteronomy 15:1-11 (ASV)
The year of release is no doubt identical with the sabbatical year of the earlier legislation (Exodus 23:10 and following, and Leviticus 25:2 and following), the command of the older legislation being amplified here. The release was probably for the year, not total and final, and had reference only to loans lent because of poverty (compare Deuteronomy 15:4, Deuteronomy 15:7). Even so, the law was found to be too stringent for the avarice of the people, because it was one of those which the rabbis made of none effect by their traditions.
(Deuteronomy 15:2) Because it is called the Lord’s release—this should be translated as: because proclamation has been made of the Lord’s release. The verb is impersonal and implies that the solemnity of the year of release has been publicly announced.
(Deuteronomy 15:3) A foreigner would not be bound by the restriction of the sabbatical year and therefore would have no claim to its special remissions and privileges. He could earn his usual income in the seventh year just as in other years and, therefore, is not excused from the liability to pay a debt any more in that year than in others.
(Deuteronomy 15:4) This is not inconsistent with Deuteronomy 15:11. The meaning seems simply to be, “You must release the debt for the year, except when there is no poor person concerned, a contingency which may happen, for the Lord will greatly bless you.” The general object of these precepts, as also of the year of Jubilee and the laws respecting inheritance, is to prevent the total ruin of a needy person, and his disappearance from the families of Israel by the sale of his inherited property.
(Deuteronomy 15:9) Literally: Beware that there is not in your heart a word which is worthlessness (compare Deuteronomy 13:13 note).
"thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy threshing-floor, and out of thy winepress; as Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him." — Deuteronomy 15:14 (ASV)
Thou shalt furnish him liberally - The verb in the Hebrew is remarkable. It means “you shall lay on his neck,” “adorn his neck with your gifts.”
"And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah 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 out from thee; because he loveth thee and thy house, because he is well with thee; then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do likewise. It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou lettest him go free from thee; for to the double of the hire of a hireling hath he served thee six years: and Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all that thou doest." — Deuteronomy 15:15-18 (ASV)
The commands here are repeated from Exodus 21:2-6, with amplifications relative to the maidservant (Deuteronomy 15:12) and to the making (Deuteronomy 15:13 and following) of generous provision for launching the freed servant on an independent course of life. The release of the servant is connected with the sabbatical principle, though not with the sabbatical year. It is also noteworthy that the prospect of a gift of this sort, the amount of which was left to the master’s discretion, would be likely to encourage diligence and faithfulness during the years of servitude.
He hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years (Deuteronomy 15:18) – “that is,” such a servant has earned twice as much as a common hired laborer would have done in the same time.
"All the firstling males that are born of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto Jehovah thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy herd, nor shear the firstling of thy flock. Thou shalt eat it before Jehovah thy God year by year in the place which Jehovah shall choose, thou and thy household. And if it have any blemish, [as if it be] lame or blind, any ill blemish whatsoever, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto Jehovah thy God. Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean [shall eat it] alike, as the gazelle, and as the hart. Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it out upon the ground as water." — Deuteronomy 15:19-23 (ASV)
Compare to Exodus 13:11 and following. The directions of the preceding legislation (see Numbers 18:15 and following) are here assumed, with the injunction added that the animals thus set apart to God (Deuteronomy 15:19) were not to be used by their owners for their earthly purposes.
It is further allowed that firstborn animals which had a blemish should be regarded as exceptions, and instead of being given to God, might be used as food (Deuteronomy 15:21–22).
The application of the firstborn of cattle is here directed as in Deuteronomy 12:6, Deuteronomy 12:17, and Deuteronomy 14:23: they are to be consumed in the sacred Feasts at the sanctuary.
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