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 person among you, one of your brothers within any of your city gates in the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. 8Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him enough for whatever need he has. Be careful that there isn’t this wicked thought in your heart, ‘The seventh year, the year of canceling debts, is near,’ and you are stingy toward your poor brother and give him nothing. He will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty. 10Give to him, and don’t have a stingy heart when you give, and because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you do. 11For there will never cease to be poor people in the land; that is why I am commanding you, ‘Open your hand willingly to your poor and needy brother 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 4:23Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.
• Jeremiah 17:10I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve.
• Matthew 15:19For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander.
• Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
• Romans 7:8And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.
• James 4:5Or do you think it’s without reason that the Scripture says: The spirit he made to dwell in us envies intensely?
• Deuteronomy 28:54The most sensitive and refined man among you will look grudgingly at his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children,
• Proverbs 23:6Don’t eat a stingy person’s bread, and don’t desire his choice food,
• Proverbs 24:9A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to people.
• Proverbs 28:22A greedy one is in a hurry for wealth; he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.
• Matthew 20:15Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? Are you jealous because I’m generous?’
• James 5:9Brothers and sisters, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged. Look, the judge stands at the door!
• 1 Peter 4:9Be hospitable to one another without complaining.
• Deuteronomy 24:15You are to pay him his wages each day before the sun sets, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be held guilty.
• Exodus 3:7Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people in Egypt, and have heard them crying out because of their oppressors. I know about their sufferings,
• Exodus 22:23If you do mistreat them, they will no doubt cry to me, and I will 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