Deuteronomy 15:7-18

7“If there is 1a poor person among you, one of your brothers, in any of your 2towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, 3you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; 8but 4you shall fully open your hand to him, and generously lend him enough for his need in whatever he lacks. 9Be careful that there is no mean-spirited 5thought in your heart, 6such as, ‘7The seventh year, the year of release of debts, is near,’ and 8your eye is malicious toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he 9may cry out to the Lord against you, and it will be a sin in you. 10You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be 10grudging when you give to him, because 11for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work, and in all 12your undertakings. 1113For the poor will not cease 14to exist in the land; therefore I am commanding you, saying, ‘You shall fully open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.’

12“15If your fellow countryman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you for six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him 16free. 13And when you set him 17free, you shall not send him away empty-handed. 14You shall give generously to him from your flock, your threshing floor, and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you. 15And you are to remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I am commanding 18this of you today. 16But it shall come about, 19if 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 20awl 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.

18“It shall not seem difficult for you when you set him 21free, because he has given you six years with double the 22service of a hired worker; so the Lord your God will bless you in whatever you do.