Bible Commentaries
Deuteronomy 15

Verse 2

15:2 And this [is] the manner of the release: Every {a} creditor that lendeth [ought] unto his neighbour shall release [it]; he shall not exact [it] of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD’S release.

(a) He shall only release his debtors, who are not able to pay for that year.

Verse 4

15:4 {b} Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance to possess it:

(b) For if your debtor is rich, he may be forced to pay.

Verse 11

15:11 {c} For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt {d} open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

(c) To try your charity, Matthew 26:11.

(d) You shall be liberal.

Verse 14

15:14 Thou shalt {e} furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: [of that] wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.

(e) In token that you acknowledge the benefit which God has given you by his labours.

Verse 17

15:17 Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust [it] through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant {f} for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.

(f) To the year of Jubile, Leviticus 25:40.

Verse 18

15:18 It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double {g} hired servant [to thee], in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.

(g) For the hired servant served but three years, and he six.

Verse 19

15:19 All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: {h} thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.

(h) For they are the Lords.

Verse 22

15:22 Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean [person shall eat it] alike, {i} as the roebuck, and as the hart.

(i) You will eat them, as well as the roe buck and other wild beasts.