Deuteronomy 15:9

Deuteronomy 15:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
• New International Version (NIV)Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, 'The seventh year, the year of release is near,' and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Beware lest there 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 out to the Lord against you, and it become sin among you.

Context of Deuteronomy 15:9

7“If there is a poor man among you, one of your fellow Israelites, in any of your cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not be heartless, nor close-fisted with your poor brother; 8but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend to him whatever he needs. Beware that there is no wicked thought in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release (remission, pardon), is approaching,’ and your eye is hostile (unsympathetic) toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing [since he would not have to repay you]; for he may cry out to the Lord against you, and it will become a sin for you. 10You shall freely and generously give to him, and your heart shall not be resentful when you give to him, because for this [generous] thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings. 11For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy, and to your poor in your land.’

Deuteronomy 15:9 word by word

הִשָּׁ֣מֶר לְךָ֡ פֶּן־יִהְיֶ֣ה דָבָר֩ עִם־לְבָבְךָ֨ בְלִיַּ֜עַל לֵאמֹ֗ר קָֽרְבָ֣ה שְׁנַֽת־הַשֶּׁבַע֮ שְׁנַ֣ת הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒ וְרָעָ֣ה עֵֽינְךָ֗ בְּאָחִ֙יךָ֙ הָֽאֶבְי֔וֹן וְלֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן ל֑וֹ וְקָרָ֤א עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה וְהָיָ֥ה בְךָ֖ חֵֽטְא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Bewareשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: carefulH8104
• that there be not a thoughtדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• in thy wickedבְּלִיַּ֫עַלbelîya‛al · Belial: worthlessH1100
• heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• The seventhשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• of releaseשְׁמִטָּהshemiţţâh · remissionH8059
• is at handקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
• and thine eyeעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• be evilרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• against thy poorאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
• brotherאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• and thou givestנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• him nought; and he cryקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• against thee, and it be sinחֵטְאchêţ' · sinH2399

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 15:9

• Proverbs 4:23Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
• Jeremiah 17:10I, the Lord, search and examine the mind, I test the heart, To give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.
• Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts and plans, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slanders (verbal abuse, irreverent speech, blaspheming).
• Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.
• Romans 7:8But sin, finding an opportunity through the commandment [to express itself] produced in me every kind of coveting and selfish desire. For without the Law sin is dead [the recognition of sin is inactive].
• James 4:5Or do you think that the Scripture says to no purpose that the [human] spirit which He has made to dwell in us lusts with envy?
• Deuteronomy 28:54The man who is most refined and well-bred among you will be cruel and hostile toward his brother and toward the wife he cherishes and toward the rest of his children who remain,
• Proverbs 23:6Do not eat the bread of a selfish man, Or desire his delicacies;
• Proverbs 24:9The devising of folly is sin, And the scoffer is repulsive to men.
• Proverbs 28:22He who has an evil and envious eye hurries to be rich And does not know that poverty will come upon him.
• Matthew 20:15Am I not lawfully permitted to do what I choose with what is mine? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’
• James 5:9Do not complain against one another, believers, so that you will not be judged [for it]. Look! The Judge is standing right at the door.
• 1 Peter 4:9Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
• Deuteronomy 24:15You shall give him his wages on the day that he earns them before the sun sets—for he is poor and is counting on it—so that he does not cry out to the Lord against you, and it becomes a sin for you.
• Exodus 3:7The Lord said, “I have in fact seen the affliction (suffering, desolation) of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters (oppressors); for I know their pain and suffering.
• Exodus 22:23If you harm or oppress them in any way, and they cry at all to Me [for help], I will most certainly hear their cry;

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 15:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart - בליעל לבבך lebabecha beliyaal, thy belial heart, that is, thy good-for-nothing or unprofitable heart; See on Deuteronomy 13:13; (note). And thine eye be evil - An evil eye signifies a covetous disposition. See the same form of expression used by our Lord in the same sense, Matthew 6:23. If thine eye be evil - If thou be a covetous person. Evil eye is by our Lord opposed to single eye, i. e., a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-11Verses 1-11 The year of release is no doubt identical with the sabbatical year of the earlier legislation (Exodus 23:10 ff, and Leviticus 25:2 ff), the command of the older legislation being here amplified. The release was probably for the year, not total and final, and had reference only to loans lent because of poverty (compare Deuteronomy 15:4, Deuteronomy 15:7). Yet even so the law was found to be too stringent for the avarice of the people, because…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23The law of Moses included rules about borrowing and lending. Here, God commanded Israel to cancel debts in the seventh year and to lend generously to the poor. These laws helped poor people survive times of need. They also placed limits on the wealthy so they would not take advantage of those who were vulnerable.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-117-11. If there be among you a poor man ... thou shalt not harden thine heart--Lest the foregoing law should prevent the Israelites lending to the poor, Moses here admonishes them against so mean and selfish a spirit and exhorts them to give in a liberal spirit of charity and kindness, which will secure the divine blessing (Ro 12:8; 2Co 9:7).Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 15:9

• Alms
• Beneficence
• Fear of God
• Fraternity
• Lending
• Liberality
• Poor
• Reward
• Sabbatic Year
• Year

In the dictionaries

• Agriculture
• Belial
• Bless
• Cease
• Debt
• Debtor
• Evil eye
• Firstling
• Poor
• Release

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings