Deuteronomy 15:18

Deuteronomy 15:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
• New International Version (NIV)Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because their service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do.
• English Standard Version (ESV)It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker he has served you six years. So the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.
• New King James Version (NKJV)It shall not seem hard to you when you send him away free from you; for he has been worth a double hired servant in serving you six years. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all that you do.

Context of Deuteronomy 15:18

16But it shall come about, if he says to you, ‘I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is doing well with you, 17then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant permanently. You shall also do the same to your female slave. “It shall not seem difficult for you when you set him free, because he has given you six years with double the service of a hired worker; so the Lord your God will bless you in whatever you do. 19“You shall consecrate to the Lord your God all the firstborn males that are born in your herd and in your flock; you shall not work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. 20You and your household shall eat it every year before the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses.

Deuteronomy 15:18 word by word

לֹא־יִקְשֶׁ֣ה בְעֵינֶ֗ךָ בְּשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֙ אֹת֤וֹ חָפְשִׁי֙ מֵֽעִמָּ֔ךְ כִּ֗י מִשְׁנֶה֙ שְׂכַ֣ר שָׂכִ֔יר עֲבָֽדְךָ֖ שֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֑ים וּבֵֽרַכְךָ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶֽׂה׃ פRead the interlinear

• It shall not seemקָשָׁהqâshâh · to hardenH7185
• for you when you setשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: let goH7971
• freeחׇפְשִׁיchophshîy · freeH2670
• becauseכִּיkîy · forH3588
• he has givenעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647
• yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• doubleמִשְׁנֶהmishneh · secondH4932
• serviceשָׂכָרώâkâr · wagesH7939
• of a hiredשָׂכִירώâkîyr · hiredH7916
• so the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• your Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• will blessבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
• you in whateverכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• you in whateverאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• you doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 15:18

• Deuteronomy 15:10You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work, and in all your undertakings.
• Isaiah 16:14But now the Lord has spoken, saying, “Within three years, as a hired worker would count them, the glory of Moab will become contemptible along with all his great population, and his remnant will be very small and impotent.”
• Isaiah 21:16For this is what the Lord said to me: “In a year, as a hired worker would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end;
• Luke 17:7“Now which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him after he comes in from the field, ‘Come immediately and recline at the table to eat’?

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 15:18

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-18Verses 15-18 The commands here are repeated from Exodus 21:2-6, with amplifications relative to the maidservant Deuteronomy 15:12 and to the making (Deuteronomy 15:13 ff) liberal provision for launching the freedman on an independent course of life. The release of the servant is connected with the sabbatical principle though not with the sabbatical year. It is noteworthy also that the prospect of a gift of this sort, the amount of which was left to the…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. 18worth twice the wages: A bondservant worked every day and did not serve for limited hours. Because of this, his work was worth more than the work of a hired laborer. A hired worker served only for certain hours of the day. The bondservant’s full-time service made his value greater.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee--that is, he is entitled to double wages because his service was more advantageous to you, being both without wages and for a length of time, whereas hired servants were engaged yearly (Le 25:53), or at most for three years (Is 16:14).Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 15:18

• Beneficence
• Employee
• Liberality
• Sabbatic Year
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Bless
• Cease
• Firstling
• Freedom
• Release
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of

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