151 " At the end of every seven years you shall grant a remission of debts. 2 "This is the manner of remission : every creditor e e shall release what he has loaned to his neighbor ; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother , because the Lord'S remission has been proclaimed . 3 " From a foreigner you may exact it, but your hand shall release whatever of yours is with your brother . 4 "However , there will be no poor among you, since the Lord will surely bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess , 5 if only you listen obediently to the voice of the Lord your God , to observe carefully all this commandment which I am commanding you today . 6 " For the Lord your God will bless you as He has promised you, and you will lend to many nations , but you will not borrow ; and you will rule over many nations , but they will not rule over you.
7 "If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers , in any of your towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart , nor close your hand from your poor brother ; 8 but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks . 9 "Beware that there is no base thought in your heart , saying , ' The seventh year , the year of remission , is near ,' and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother , and you give him nothing ; then he may cry to the Lord against you, and it will be a sin in you. 10 "You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because e for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings . 11 " For the poor will never cease to be in the land ; therefore e I command you, saying , 'You shall freely open your hand to your brother , to your needy and poor in your land .'
12 " If your kinsman , a Hebrew man or woman , is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years , but in the seventh year you shall set him free . 13 "When you set him free , you shall not send him away empty-handed . 14 "You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat ; you shall give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you. 15 "You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt , and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore e I command you this today .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 15:1-15
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.