15Do not return a slave to his master if he has taken refuge with you.
16Let him live among you wherever he chooses, in the town of his pleasing. Do not oppress him.
Focused Passage
Deuteronomy 23:15-16
Holiness, Exclusion, and the Purity of the Covenant Assembly
Assembly membership restrictions (vv. 1–8) move to camp purity for holy-war conditions (vv. 9–14), then to protection of escaped slaves (vv. 15–16), prohibition of cult prostitution (vv. 17–18), lending rules (vv. 19–20), and vow obligations (vv. 21–23), closing with gleaning permissions (vv. 24–25).
Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources
Study Helps
References and Original Words
Verse 15
Cross-references
Original words
Do notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlereturnתַסְגִּ֥ירH5462Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singulara slaveעֶ֖בֶדH5650Noun - masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionhis masterאֲדֹנָ֑יוH113Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeif he has taken refugeיִנָּצֵ֥לH5337Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .מֵעִ֥םH5973Preposition-m. . .אֲדֹנָֽיו׃H113Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularwith youאֵלֶ֖יךָH413Preposition | second person masculine singular
Verse 16
Cross-references
Original words
-עִמְּךָ֞H5973Preposition | second person masculine singularLet him liveיֵשֵׁ֣בH3427Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularamong youבְּקִרְבְּךָ֗H7130Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularwhereverבַּמָּק֧וֹםH4725Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativehe choosesיִבְחַ֛רH977Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularinבְּאַחַ֥דH259Preposition-b | Number - masculine singular constructthe townשְׁעָרֶ֖יךָH8179Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularof his pleasingבַּטּ֣וֹבH2896Preposition-b, Article | Adjective - masculine singular. . .ל֑וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularDo notלֹ֖אH3808Adverb - Negative particleoppress himתּוֹנֶֽנּוּ׃סH3238Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singular