God’s Word Translation
Deuteronomy 15:9
9When the seventh year—the year when payments on debts are canceled—is near, you might be stingy toward poor Israelites and give them nothing. Be careful not to think these worthless thoughts. The poor will complain to the Lord about you, and you will be condemned for your sin.
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
7This is what you must do whenever there are poor Israelites in one of your cities in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 8Be generous to these poor people, and freely lend them as much as they need. Never be hard-hearted and tight-fisted with them. When the seventh year—the year when payments on debts are canceled—is near, you might be stingy toward poor Israelites and give them nothing. Be careful not to think these worthless thoughts. The poor will complain to the Lord about you, and you will be condemned for your sin. 10Be sure to give to them without any hesitation. When you do this, the Lord your God will bless you in everything you work for and set out to do. 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.
Read all of Deuteronomy 15Deuteronomy 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 more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it.
- Jeremiah 17:10I, the Lord, search minds and test hearts. I will reward each person for what he has done. I will reward him for the results of his actions.
- Matthew 15:19Evil thoughts, murder, adultery, ⌞other⌟ sexual sins, stealing, lying, and cursing come from within.
- Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the person who does what my Father in heaven wants.
- Romans 7:8But sin took the opportunity provided by this commandment and made me have all kinds of wrong desires. Clearly, without laws sin is dead.
- James 4:5Do you think this passage means nothing? It says, “The Spirit that lives in us wants us to be his own.”
- Deuteronomy 28:54Even the most tender and sensitive man among you will become stingy toward his brother, the wife he loves, and the children he still has left.
- Proverbs 23:6Do not eat the food of one who is stingy, and do not crave his delicacies.
- Proverbs 24:9Foolish scheming is sinful, and a mocker is disgusting to everyone.
- Proverbs 28:22A stingy person is in a hurry to get rich, not realizing that poverty is about to overtake him.
- Matthew 20:15Can’t I do what I want with my own money? Or do you resent my generosity towards others?’
- James 5:9Brothers and sisters, stop complaining about each other, or you will be condemned. Realize that the judge is standing at the door.
- 1 Peter 4:9Welcome each other as guests without complaining.
- Deuteronomy 24:15Pay them each day before sunset because they are poor and need their pay. Otherwise, they will complain to the Lord about you, and you will be condemned for your sin.
- Exodus 3:7The Lord said, “I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt, and I have heard them crying out because of the slave drivers. I know how much they’re suffering.
- Exodus 22:23If you do and they cry out to me, you can be sure that I will 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
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
Commentaries