Deuteronomy 23:15

Deuteronomy 23:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee:
• New International Version (NIV)If a slave has taken refuge with you, do not hand them over to their master.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"You shall not give up to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“You shall not give back to his master the slave who has escaped from his master to you.

Context of Deuteronomy 23:15

13There is to be a place at hand for you outside the camp, and you are to go there outside. 14You are to have a shovel for yourself among your weapons. Now when you sit down outside, you are to dig with it and turn and cover up what comes out of you. For Adonai your God walks in the midst of your camp, to rescue you and to give your enemies over to you. Therefore your camp must be holy, so that He does not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you. 16“You are not to hand over to his master a slave who seeks refuge with you from his master. 17Let him dwell with you in your midst, in the place he chooses within one of your town gates—the one that is good for him. You are not to mistreat him.

Deuteronomy 23:15 word by word

לֹא־תַסְגִּ֥יר עֶ֖בֶד אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֑יו אֲשֶׁר־יִנָּצֵ֥ל אֵלֶ֖יךָ מֵעִ֥ם אֲדֹנָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thou shalt not deliverסָגַרsâgar · to shutH5462
• unto his masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• the servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• which is escapedנָצַלnâtsal · to rescueH5337

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 23:15

• 1 Samuel 30:15Then David asked him, “Will you lead me to this raiding band?” “Swear to me by God that you won’t kill me or deliver me into my master’s hands,” he said, “and I will lead you to this marauding band.”
• Obadiah 1:14Do not stand at the crossroad to cut down his fugitives, and do not imprison his survivors in the day of distress.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 23:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Thou shalt not deliver - the servant which is escaped - unto thee - That is, a servant who left an idolatrous master that he might join himself to God and to his people. In any other case, it would have been injustice to have harboured the runaway.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15The case in question is that of a slave who fled from a pagan master to the holy land. It is of course assumed that the refugee was not flying from justice, but only from the tyranny of his lord.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-25Verses 15-25 It is honourable to shelter and protect the weak, provided they are not wicked. Proselytes and converts to the truth, should be treated with particular tenderness, that they may have no temptation to return to the world. We cannot honour God with our substance, unless it be honestly and honourably come by. It must not only be considered what we give, but how we got it. Where the borrower gets, or hopes to get, it is just that the lender…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which has escaped from his master unto thee--evidently a servant of the Canaanites or some of the neighboring people, who was driven by tyrannical oppression, or induced, with a view of embracing the true religion, to take refuge in Israel.Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 23:15

• Fugitives
• Oppression
• Refugee Slaves
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Paddle
• Sickle
• Slack
• Atonement, Day of
• Courts, Judicial
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genesis
• Law in the Old Testament
• Leviticus

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 23

• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings