Matthew Henry Commentary Deuteronomy 15:12-18

"If thy brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou lettest him go free from thee, thou shalt not let him go empty: 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. 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 15:12-18 (ASV)

Here the law concerning Hebrew servants is repeated. There is an addition, requiring masters to put some small stock into their servants' hands to help them establish themselves when they are released from their servitude, during which they had received no wages. We may expect family blessings, the sources of family prosperity, when we are conscientious about 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 needs.

When the gospel is clearly preached, the acceptable year of the Lord is proclaimed; the year of release from our debts, of the deliverance of our souls, and of obtaining rest in Him. And as faith in Christ and love for Him prevail, they will triumph over the selfishness of the heart and over the unkindness of the world, doing away with the excuses that arise from unbelief, distrust, and covetousness.