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“But if there are any poor Israelites in your towns when you arrive in the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them. 8Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need. 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. 10Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. 11There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.

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

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 4:23Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
• Jeremiah 17:10But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”
• Matthew 15:19For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.
• Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
• Romans 7:8But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power.
• James 4:5Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.
• Deuteronomy 28:54The most tenderhearted man among you will have no compassion for his own brother, his beloved wife, and his surviving children.
• Proverbs 23:6Don’t eat with people who are stingy; don’t desire their delicacies.
• Proverbs 24:9The schemes of a fool are sinful; everyone detests a mocker.
• Proverbs 28:22Greedy people try to get rich quick but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.
• Matthew 20:15Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’
• James 5:9Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!
• 1 Peter 4:9Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.
• Deuteronomy 24:15You must pay them their wages each day before sunset because they are poor and are counting on it. If you don’t, they might cry out to the Lord against you, and it would be counted against you as sin.
• Exodus 3:7Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.
• Exodus 22:23If you exploit them in any way and they cry out to me, then 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

• 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