New Living Translation
Deuteronomy 15:2
2This is how it must be done. Everyone must cancel the loans they have made to their fellow Israelites. They must not demand payment from their neighbors or relatives, for the Lord’s time of release has arrived.
Deuteronomy 15:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the Lord’s release.
- New International Version (NIV)This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel any loan they have made to a fellow Israelite. They shall not require payment from anyone among their own people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And this is the manner of the release: every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor. He shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the Lord's release has been proclaimed.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it; he shall not require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the Lord’s release.
Context of Deuteronomy 15:2
1“At the end of every seventh year you must cancel the debts of everyone who owes you money. This is how it must be done. Everyone must cancel the loans they have made to their fellow Israelites. They must not demand payment from their neighbors or relatives, for the Lord’s time of release has arrived. 3This release from debt, however, applies only to your fellow Israelites—not to the foreigners living among you. 4“There should be no poor among you, for the Lord your God will greatly bless you in the land he is giving you as a special possession.
Read all of Deuteronomy 15Deuteronomy 15:2 word by word
וְזֶה֮ דְּבַ֣ר הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒ שָׁמ֗וֹט כָּל־בַּ֙עַל֙ מַשֵּׁ֣ה יָד֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַשֶּׁ֖ה בְּרֵעֵ֑הוּ לֹֽא־יִגֹּ֤שׂ אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ וְאֶת־אָחִ֔יו כִּֽי־קָרָ֥א שְׁמִטָּ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- the mannerדָּבָרdâbâr · ChroniclesH1697
- of the releaseשְׁמִטָּהshemiţţâh · remissionH8059
- Every creditorיָדyâd · handH3027
- Every creditorמַשֶּׁהmashsheh · loanH4874
- Every creditorבַּעַלba‛al · master: [master of]H1167
- that lendethנָשָׁהnâshâh · to lendH5383
- unto his neighbourרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- shall releaseשָׁמַטshâmaţ · to releaseH8058
- he shall not exactנָגַשׂnâgaώ · to oppressH5065
- or of his brotherאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
- because it is calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
- the Lord’sיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 15:2
- Nehemiah 5:7After thinking it over, I spoke out against these nobles and officials. I told them, “You are hurting your own relatives by charging interest when they borrow money!” Then I called a public meeting to deal with the problem.
- Isaiah 58:3‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!’ “I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers.
- Amos 8:4Listen to this, you who rob the poor and trample down the needy!
- Matthew 6:12and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
- Matthew 18:25He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.
- Luke 6:34And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
- Luke 7:42But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”
- James 2:13There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 15:2
- 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. 2The remission happened every seventh year across the nation ("the Sabbath year," Leviticus 25:1–7). The timing followed the national calendar, not the date when a loan was made. As a result, a loan could be canceled only one year after it was given.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it--not by an absolute discharge of the debt, but by passing over that year without exacting payment. The relief was temporary and peculiar to that year during which there was a total suspension of agricultural labor. he shall not exact it ... of his brother--that is, an Israelite, so called in opposition to a stranger or foreigner. because it is called the Lord's release--The reason…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 15:2
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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