God’s Word Translation
Deuteronomy 15:13
13But when you let them go, don’t send them away empty-handed.
Deuteronomy 15:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:
- New International Version (NIV)And when you release them, do not send them away empty-handed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And when you send him away free from you, you shall not let him go away empty-handed;
Context of Deuteronomy 15:13
11There will always be poor people in the land. That’s why I command you to be generous to other Israelites who are poor and needy. 12Whenever Hebrew men or women are sold to you as slaves, they will be your slaves for six years. In the seventh year you must let them go free. But when you let them go, don’t send them away empty-handed. 14Generously give them provisions—sheep from your flocks, grain from your threshing floor, and wine from your winepress. Be as generous to them as the Lord your God has been to you. 15Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God freed you. That’s why I’m giving you this command today.
Read all of Deuteronomy 15Deuteronomy 15:13 word by word
וְכִֽי־תְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּ חָפְשִׁ֖י מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְ לֹ֥א תְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּ רֵיקָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 15:13
- Exodus 21:2“Whenever you buy a Hebrew slave, he will be your slave for six years. In the seventh year he may leave as a free man, without paying for his freedom.
- Deuteronomy 15:14Generously give them provisions—sheep from your flocks, grain from your threshing floor, and wine from your winepress. Be as generous to them as the Lord your God has been to you.
- Genesis 31:42If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would have sent me away empty-handed by now. God has seen my misery and hard work, and last night he made it right.”
- Exodus 3:21I will make the Egyptians kind to the people of Israel so that, when you leave, you will not leave empty-handed.
- Leviticus 25:42They are my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. They must never be sold as slaves.
- Proverbs 3:27Do not hold back anything good from those who are entitled to it when you have the power to do so.
- Jeremiah 22:13“How horrible it will be for the person who builds his house dishonestly and his upper rooms through injustice. He makes his neighbors work for nothing and doesn’t pay them for their work.
- Malachi 3:5“I will come to judge you. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, lying witnesses, and those who cheat workers out of their wages and oppress widows and orphans. I will also testify against those who deprive foreigners of their rights. None of them fear me,” says the Lord of Armies.
- Colossians 4:1Masters, be just and fair to your slaves because you know that you also have a master in heaven.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 15:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Thou shalt not let him go away empty - Because during the time he served thee, he made no property for himself, having been always honest towards thee; and now when he leaves thee, he has nothing to begin the world with.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 Here the law concerning Hebrew servants is repeated. There is an addition, requiring the masters to put some small stock into their servants' hands to set up with for themselves, when sent out of their servitude, wherein they had received no wages. We may expect family blessings, the springs of family prosperity, when we make conscience of our duty to our family relations. We are to remember that we are debtors to Divine justice, and have…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. 13-1513-15. thou shalt not let him go away empty--A seasonable and wise provision for enabling a poor unfortunate to regain his original status in society, and the motive urged for his kindness and humanity to the Hebrew slave was the remembrance that the whole nation was once a degraded and persecuted band of helots in Egypt. Thus, kindness towards their slaves, unparalleled elsewhere in those days, was inculcated by the Mosaic law; and in all their conduct…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 15:13
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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