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 Living Translation (NLT)“You must not consider it a hardship when you release your servants. Remember that for six years they have given you services worth double the wages of hired workers, and the Lord your God will bless you in all you do.

Context of Deuteronomy 15:18

16And if it happens that he says to you, ‘I will not go away from you,’ because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you, 17then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise. 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. 19“All the firstborn males that come from your herd and your flock you shall sanctify to the Lord your God; you shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. 20You and your household shall eat it before the Lord your God year by year 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• It shall not seem hardקָשָׁהqâshâh · to hardenH7185
• unto theeעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
• when thou sendest him awayשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: let goH7971
• freeחׇפְשִׁיchophshîy · freeH2670
• from thee; for he hath been worthשָׂכָרώâkâr · wagesH7939
• a doubleמִשְׁנֶהmishneh · secondH4932
• hired servantשָׂכִירώâkîyr · hiredH7916
• in servingעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647
• thee sixשֵׁשׁshêsh shishshâh · sixH8337
• yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• and the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• shall blessבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
• thee in all that thou doestעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 15:18

• Deuteronomy 15:10You shall surely give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand.
• Isaiah 16:14But now the Lord has spoken, saying, “Within three years, as the years of a hired man, the glory of Moab will be despised with all that great multitude, and the remnant will be very small and feeble.”
• Isaiah 21:16For thus the Lord has said to me: “Within a year, according to the year of a hired man, all the glory of Kedar will fail;
• Luke 17:7And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down 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
• Bless
• Cease
• Firstling
• Freedom
• Release
• Atonement, Day of
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genesis

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