Deut 15
1
At the end of every seven years you shall make a release.
2
And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release that which he
has lent to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother; because
YHWH`s release has been proclaimed.
3
Of a foreigner you may exact it: but whatever of your is with your brother your hand
shall release.
4
Nevertheless there shall be no poor with you; (for YHWH will surely bless you in the
land which YHWH your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it;)
5
if only you diligently hearken to the voice of YHWH your God, to observe to do all
this commandment which I command you this day.
6
For YHWH your God will bless you, as he promised you: and you shall lend to many nations,
but you shall not borrow; and you shall rule over many nations, but they shall not
rule over you.
7
If there be with you a poor man, one of your brethren, within any of your gates in
your land which YHWH 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 [in that] which he wants.
9
Beware that there be not a base 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 YHWH against you, and it be sin to you.
10
You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him;
because that for this thing YHWH 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, saying, You
shall 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, be sold to you, and serve you six
years; then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.
13
And 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, and out of your threshing-floor,
and out of your wine press; as YHWH your God has blessed you you shall give to him.
15
And you shall remember that you were a bondman in the land of Egypt, and YHWH your
God redeemed you: therefore I command you this thing to-day.
16
And it shall be, if he say to 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 for ever. And also to your maid-servant you shall do likewise.
18
It shall not seem hard to you, when you let him go free from you; for to the double
of the hire of a hireling has he served you six years: and YHWH your God will bless
you in all that you do.
19
All the firstling males that are born of your herd and of your flock you shall sanctify
to YHWH your God: you shall do no work with the firstling of your herd, nor shear
the firstling of your flock.
20
You shall eat it before YHWH your God year by year in the place which YHWH shall choose,
you and your household.
21
And if it have any blemish, [as if it be] lame or blind, any ill blemish whatever,
you shall not sacrifice it to YHWH 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 hart.
23
Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out upon the ground as
water.