New International Version
Deuteronomy 15:9
9Be 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Do not be mean-spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year for canceling debts is close at hand. If you refuse to make the loan and the needy person cries out to the Lord, you will be considered guilty of sin.
Context of Deuteronomy 15:9
7If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. 8Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. 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. 10Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.
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 4:23Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
- Jeremiah 17:10“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”
- Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
- Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
- Romans 7:8But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead.
- James 4:5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?
- Deuteronomy 28:54Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will have no compassion on his own brother or the wife he loves or his surviving children,
- Proverbs 23:6Do not eat the food of a begrudging host, do not crave his delicacies;
- Proverbs 24:9The schemes of folly are sin, and people detest a mocker.
- Proverbs 28:22The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them.
- Matthew 20:15Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
- James 5:9Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
- 1 Peter 4:9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
- Deuteronomy 24:15Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.
- Exodus 3:7The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
- Exodus 22:23If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly 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
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