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, in any of your towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; 8but you shall fully open your hand to him, and generously lend him enough for his need in whatever he lacks. Be careful that there is no mean-spirited thought in your heart, such as, ‘The seventh year, the year of release of debts, is near,’ and your eye is malicious toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he may 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 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. 11For the poor will not cease to 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.’

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

• Beשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
• thatפֶּן־pên · lestH6435
• mean-spiritedבְּלִיַּ֫עַלbelîya‛al · Belial: worthlessH1100
• thoughtדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• in your heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• suchאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• The seventhשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• of releaseשְׁמִטָּהshemiţţâh · remissionH8059
• is nearקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
• your eyeעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• isרָעַעrâ‛a‛ · be evilH7489
• toward your poorאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
• brotherאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• and you giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• him nothingלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• may cryקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• to the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• againstעַל‛al · uponH5921
• you, and it will be a sinחֵטְאchêţ' · sinH2399

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 15:9

• Proverbs 4:23Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
• Jeremiah 17:10I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, To give to each person according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.
• Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and slanderous statements.
• Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
• Romans 7:8But sin, taking 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 that the Scripture says to no purpose, “He jealously desires the Spirit whom He has made to dwell in us”?
• Deuteronomy 28:54The man who is refined and very delicate among you will be hostile toward his brother, toward the wife he cherishes, and toward the rest of his children who are left,
• Proverbs 23:6Do not eat the bread of a selfish person; Or desire his delicacies;
• Proverbs 24:9The devising of foolishness is sin, And the scoffer is an abomination to humanity.
• Proverbs 28:22A person with an evil eye hurries after wealth And does not know that poverty will come upon him.
• Matthew 20:15Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’
• James 5:9Do not complain, brothers and sisters, against one another, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.
• 1 Peter 4:9Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
• Deuteronomy 24:15You shall give him his wages on his day before the sun sets--for he is poor and sets his heart on it--so that he does not cry out against you to the Lord, and it becomes a sin in you.
• Exodus 3:7And the Lord said, “I have certainly seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings.
• Exodus 22:23If you oppress him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will assuredly hear his 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