15
1 At
the end of
every seven years,
you shall cancel debts.
2 This
is the way
it shall be
done: every
creditor shall
release that which
he has lent
to his neighbor.
He shall
not require payment from
his neighbor and
his brother,
because the LORD’s
release has been
proclaimed.
3 Of
a foreigner you
may require it;
but whatever of yours
is with
your brother, your
hand shall release.
4 However
there will be
no poor with
you (for the
LORD will surely
bless you in
the land which
the LORD your
God gives you
for an inheritance
to possess)
5 if only
you diligently
listen to the
LORD your God’s
voice, to observe
to do all
this commandment
which I command
you today.
6 For
the LORD your
God will bless
you, as he
promised you. You
will lend to
many nations, but
you will not
borrow. You will
rule over many
nations, but they
will not rule
over you.
7 If
a poor man, one
of your brothers,
is with you within
any of your
gates in your land
which the LORD
your God gives
you, you shall
not harden your
heart, nor shut
your hand from
your poor brother;
8 but
you shall surely
open your hand
to him, and
shall surely lend
him sufficient for
his need, which
he lacks.
9 Beware
that there not
be a wicked
thought in your
heart, saying, “The
seventh year, the
year of release,
is at hand,”
and your eye
be evil against
your poor brother and
you give him
nothing; and he
cry to the
LORD against you,
and it be
sin to you.
10 You
shall surely give,
and your heart
shall not be
grieved when you
give to him,
because it is
for this thing
the LORD your
God will bless
you in all
your work and
in all that
you put your
hand to.
11 For
the poor will
never cease out
of the land.
Therefore I
command you to
surely open your
hand to
your brother, to
your needy, and
to your poor,
in your land.
12 If
your brother, a
Hebrew man, or
a Hebrew woman,
is sold to
you and serves
you six years,
then in the
seventh year you
shall let him
go free from
you.
13 When
you let him
go free from
you, you shall
not let him
go empty.
14 You
shall furnish him
liberally out of
your flock, out
of your threshing
floor, and out
of your wine
press. As the
LORD your God
has blessed you,
you shall give
to him.
15 You
shall remember
that you were
a slave in
the land of Egypt,
and the LORD
your God redeemed
you. Therefore I
command you this
thing today.
16 It
shall be, if
he tells you, “I
will not go
out from you,”
because he loves
you and your
house, because he
is well with
you,
17 then
you shall take
an awl, and
thrust it through
his ear to the
door, and he
shall be your
servant forever.
Also to your female
servant you shall
do likewise.
18 It
shall not seem
hard to you
when you let
him go free
from you, for
he has been
double the value
of a hired hand
as he served
you six years.
The LORD your
God will bless
you in all
that you do.
19 You
shall dedicate all
the firstborn
males that are
born of your
herd and of
your flock to
the LORD your
God. You shall
do no work
with the firstborn
of your herd,
nor shear the
firstborn of your
flock.
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 If
it has any
defect—is lame
or blind, or
has any defect
whatever, you
shall not
sacrifice it to
the LORD your
God.
22 You
shall eat it within your gates.
The unclean and
the clean shall eat
it alike, as the
gazelle and as
the deer.
23 Only
you shall not eat
its blood. You
shall pour it
out on the ground
like water.