Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 15:12-18

The Year of Release: Debt, Poverty, and the Generosity of a People Who Remember Egypt

From the seven-year debt release and its open-handed generosity demand vv 1-11 through the Hebrew-slave release with liberal provision and voluntary permanent servitude option vv 12-18 to the firstborn consecration that grounds the chapter economics in the LORD ownership of all first-increase vv 19-23.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

12 If 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.

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

14 You 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.

15 Remember 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.

16 But 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,

17 then 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.

18 Do 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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 12

Cross-references

Exodus 21 BSB references Jeremiah 34:14 Classic cross-references Exodus 21:2 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 24:14 Classic cross-references Leviticus 25:39 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 15:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

If כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction a fellow אָחִ֣יךָ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Hebrew הָֽעִבְרִ֗י H5680 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular a man or א֚וֹ H176 Conjunction a woman הָֽעִבְרִיָּ֔ה H5680 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular is sold יִמָּכֵ֨ר H4376 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to you לְךָ֜ Preposition | second person masculine singular and serves you וַעֲבָֽדְךָ֖ H5647 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular six שֵׁ֣שׁ H8337 Number - feminine singular construct years שָׁנִ֑ים H8141 Noun - feminine plural then in the seventh הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔ת H7637 Article | Number - ordinal feminine singular year וּבַשָּׁנָה֙ H8141 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular you must set him תְּשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּ H7971 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular free חָפְשִׁ֖י H2670 Adjective - masculine singular . . . מֵעִמָּֽךְ׃ H5973 Preposition-m | second person masculine singular

BSB notes

Or sells himself

Verse 13

Cross-references

Jeremiah 22:13 Classic cross-references Malachi 3:5 Classic cross-references Proverbs 3:27 Classic cross-references

Original words

And when וְכִֽי־ H3588 Conjunction you release him תְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּ H7971 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular . . . חָפְשִׁ֖י H2670 Adjective - masculine singular . . . מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְ H5973 Preposition-m | second person masculine singular do not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle send him away תְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּ H7971 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular empty-handed רֵיקָֽם׃ H7387 Adverb

Verse 14

Cross-references

2 Corinthians 9:7 Classic cross-references

Original words

You are to furnish him liberally הַעֲנֵ֤יק H6059 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute . . . תַּעֲנִיק֙ H6059 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular from your flock מִצֹּ֣אנְךָ֔ H6629 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular your threshing floor וּמִֽגָּרְנְךָ֖ H1637 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular and your winepress וּמִיִּקְבֶ֑ךָ H3342 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular You shall give תִּתֶּן־ H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular to him לֽוֹ׃ Preposition | third person masculine singular as אֲשֶׁ֧ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֥ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular has blessed you בֵּרַכְךָ֛ H1288 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular

Verse 15

Cross-references

Exodus 13:3 Classic cross-references Exodus 20:2 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 5:15 Classic cross-references 2 Samuel 7:23 Classic cross-references Exodus 6:6 Classic cross-references

Original words

Remember וְזָכַרְתָּ֗ H2142 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular that כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction you were הָיִ֙יתָ֙ H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular slaves עֶ֤בֶד H5650 Noun - masculine singular in the land בְּאֶ֣רֶץ H776 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרַ֔יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular and the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular redeemed you וַֽיִּפְדְּךָ֖ H6299 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular that is why עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּ֞ן H3651 Adverb I אָנֹכִ֧י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular am giving מְצַוְּךָ֛ H6680 Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular you אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this הַזֶּ֖ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular command הַדָּבָ֥ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular today הַיּֽוֹם׃ H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Exodus 21:5 Classic cross-references Psalms 40:8 Classic cross-references

Original words

- וְהָיָה֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular But if כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction your servant says יֹאמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to you אֵלֶ֔יךָ H413 Preposition | second person masculine singular I do not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle want to leave אֵצֵ֖א H3318 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular you מֵעִמָּ֑ךְ H5973 Preposition-m | second person masculine singular because כִּ֤י H3588 Conjunction he loves אֲהֵֽבְךָ֙ H157 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular you וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and your household בֵּיתֶ֔ךָ H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular and כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction is well off ט֥וֹב H2895 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular with you עִמָּֽךְ׃ H5973 Preposition | second person masculine singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

Exodus 21:6 Classic cross-references Job 41:4 Classic cross-references

Original words

then take וְלָקַחְתָּ֣ H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker an awl הַמַּרְצֵ֗עַ H4836 Article | Noun - masculine singular and pierce [it] וְנָתַתָּ֤ה H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular through his ear בְאָזְנוֹ֙ H241 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular into the door וּבַדֶּ֔לֶת H1817 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular and he will become וְהָיָ֥ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular your לְךָ֖ Preposition | second person masculine singular servant עֶ֣בֶד H5650 Noun - masculine singular construct for life עוֹלָ֑ם H5769 Noun - masculine singular And וְאַ֥ף H637 Conjunction treat תַּעֲשֶׂה־ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular your maidservant לַאֲמָתְךָ֖ H519 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular the same way כֵּֽן׃ H3651 Adverb

Verse 18

Cross-references

Exodus 21:2 Classic cross-references Job 7:1 Classic cross-references

Original words

Do not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle regard it בְעֵינֶ֗ךָ H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | second person masculine singular as a hardship יִקְשֶׁ֣ה H7185 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . מֵֽעִמָּ֔ךְ H5973 Preposition-m | second person masculine singular to set בְּשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֙ H7971 Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular [your servant] אֹת֤וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular free חָפְשִׁי֙ H2670 Adjective - masculine singular because כִּ֗י H3588 Conjunction his six שֵׁ֣שׁ H8337 Number - feminine singular construct years שָׁנִ֑ים H8141 Noun - feminine plural of service עֲבָֽדְךָ֖ H5647 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular were worth twice מִשְׁנֶה֙ H4932 Noun - masculine singular the wages שְׂכַ֣ר H7939 Noun - masculine singular construct of a hired hand שָׂכִ֔יר H7916 Adjective - masculine singular And the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular will bless you וּבֵֽרַכְךָ֙ H1288 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular in all בְּכֹ֖ל H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative you do תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃פ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular

Read full chapter context All Deuteronomy chapters

<- Deuteronomy 14 Deuteronomy 15 Deuteronomy 16 ->