Darby Bible Translation

New King James Version

The Seventh Year

At the end of seven years thou shalt make a release,

Debts Canceled Every Seven Years

“At the end of every seven years you shall grant a [a]release of debts.

and this is the manner of the release: Every creditor shall relax his hand from the loan which he hath lent unto his neighbour; he shall not demand it of his neighbour, or of his brother; for a release to Jehovah hath been proclaimed.

2

And this is the form of the release: Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall [b]release it; he shall not [c]require it of his neighbor or his brother, because it is called the Lord’s release.

3

Of the foreigner thou mayest demand it; but what is thine with thy brother thy hand shall release;

3

Of a foreigner you may require it; but you shall give up your claim to what is owed by your brother,

4

save when there shall be no one in need among you; for Jehovah will greatly bless thee in the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it,

4

except when there may be no poor among you; for the Lord will greatly bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance —

5

if thou only diligently hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God, to take heed to do all this commandment which I command thee this day.

5

only if you carefully obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe with care all these commandments which I command you today.

6

For Jehovah thy God will bless thee, as he promised thee; and thou shalt lend on pledge to many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt rule over many nations, but they shall not rule over thee.

6

For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you.

7

Generosity in Lending and Giving

If there be amongst you a poor man, any one of thy brethren in one of thy gates, in thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy brother in need;

7

Generosity to the Poor

“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the [d]gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother,

8

but thou shalt open thy hand bountifully unto him, and shalt certainly lend him on pledge what is sufficient for his need, [in that] which he lacketh.

8

but you shall [e]open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.

9

Beware that there be not a wicked thought in thy 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 against thee to Jehovah, and it be sin in thee.

9

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.

10

Thou shalt bountifully give unto him, and thy heart shall not be evil-disposed when thou givest unto him; because for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all the business of thy hand.

10

You 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.

11

For the needy shall never cease from within the land; therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thy hand bountifully unto thy brother, to thy poor and to thy needy, in thy land.

11

For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall [f]open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.’

12

Release of Hebrew Servants

If thy brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, have been sold unto thee, he shall serve thee six years, and in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.

12

The Law Concerning Bondservants

“If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you and serves you six years, then in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you.

13

And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty;

13

And when you [g]send him away free from you, you shall not let him go away empty-handed;

14

thou shalt certainly furnish him from thy sheep, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of what Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee with shalt thou give unto him.

14

you shall supply him liberally from your flock, from your threshing floor, and from your winepress. From what the Lord your God has blessed you with, you shall give to him.

15

And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and that Jehovah thy God redeemed thee; therefore I command thee this thing to-day.

15

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this thing today.

16

And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee, -- because he loveth thee and thy house, because he is well with thee, --

16

And 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,

17

then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust it through his ear and into the door; and he shall be thy bondman for ever. And also unto thy handmaid thou shalt do likewise.

17

then 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.

18

Let it not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for double the worth of a hired servant hath he been to thee, [in] serving thee six years; and Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all that thou doest.

18

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

Firstborn Animals

Every firstling that is born among thy kine and among thy sheep that is a male, thou shalt hallow to Jehovah thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy kine, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.

19

The Law Concerning Firstborn Animals

“All the firstborn males that come from your herd and your flock you shall [h]sanctify to the Lord your God; you shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock.

20

Thou shalt eat it before Jehovah thy God, year by year, in the place which Jehovah will choose, thou and thy household.

20

You and your household shall eat it before the Lord your God year by year in the place which the Lord chooses.

21

But if there be a defect therein, [if it be] lame, or blind, [or have] any evil defect, thou shalt not sacrifice it to Jehovah thy God.

21

But if there is a defect in it, if it is lame or blind or has any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.

22

In thy gates shalt thou eat it; the unclean and the clean [shall eat it] alike, as the gazelle and as the hart.

22

You may eat it within your gates; the unclean and the clean person alike may eat it, as if it were a gazelle or a deer.

23

Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof: thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.

23

Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it on the ground like water.

Parallel

Darby Bible Translation

New King James Version

Deuteronomy 15

Deuteronomy 15