Deuteronomy 15

Revised Geneva Translation

15 “At the term of seven years, you shall make a release.

² “And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall cancel the loan of his hand which he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not ask for it again from his neighbor, nor from his brother. For the LORD’s release is proclaimed.

³ “You may require it from a stranger. But that which you have with your brother, your hand shall release,

⁴ “except when there shall be no poor with you. For the LORD shall bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance, to possess it,

⁵ “so that you obey the Voice of the LORD your God, to observe and do all these Commandments which I command you this day.

⁶ “For the LORD your God has blessed you, as He has promised you. And you shall lend to many nations. But you yourself shall not borrow. And you shall reign over many nations. And they shall not reign over you.

⁷ “If one of your brothers with you is poor—within any of your gates in your land which the LORD your God gives you—you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother.

⁸ “But you shall open your hand to him and shall sufficiently lend to him for his need which he has.

⁹ “Beware that there is not a wicked thought in your heart, to say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand’, and it grieves you to look on your poor brother. And you give him nothing. And he cries to the LORD against you, so that sin is in you.

¹⁰ “You shall give to him. And do not let it grieve your heart to give to him. For because of this the LORD your God shall bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.

¹¹ “Because there shall always be poor in the land. Therefore, I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor in your land.’

¹² “If your brother (a Hebrew man) sells himself to you, or a Hebrew woman, and serves you six years, in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.

¹³ “And when you send him out free from you, you shalt not let him go away empty.

¹⁴ “You shall give him a liberal reward from your sheep and from your corn and from your wine. You shall give to him from that with which the LORD your God has blessed you.

¹⁵ “And remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God delivered you. Therefore, I command you this thing today.

¹⁶ “And if he says to you, ‘I will not go away from you’, because he loves you and your house and because he does well with you,

¹⁷ “then you shall take an awl and pierce his ear through, against the door. And he shall be your servant forever. And you shall do likewise to your maid servant.

¹⁸ “Let it not grieve you when you let him go out free from you. For he has served you six years, the double worth of a hired servant, and the LORD your God shall bless you in all that you do.

¹⁹ “All the firstborn males that come from your cattle and from your sheep, you shall sanctify to the LORD your God. You shall do no work with your firstborn bullock or shear your firstborn sheep.

²⁰ “You shall eat it before the LORD your God, year by year, in the place which the LORD shall choose, you and your household.

²¹ “But, if there is any blemish in it (it is lame or blind or has any serious fault), you shall not offer it to the LORD your God,

²² “You shall eat it within your gates, both the unclean and the clean, just as the gazelle and as the deer.

²³ “Only, you shall not drink its blood. Poor it upon the ground, as water.”