Deu 15 | ABEn | STEP | For seven years you shall make a release.

‏ Deuteronomy 15

CHAPTER 15 Release of Loans

1 For seven years you shall make a release. 2 And thus is the order of the release. You shall cancel every [²loan ¹private], the one which [³owes ⁴to you ¹your ²neighbor]. And [³of your brother ¹you shall not ²exact payment], for it has been called a release to the lord your God. 3 The alien -- you shall exact as much as might be due you from him; but [³for your brother ²a release ¹you shall make] of your loan. 4 For there shall not be among you one lacking; for by a blessing [³shall bless ⁴you ¹the lord ²your God] in the land which the lord your God gives to you by lot to inherit it. 5 But if in hearing you should hearken to the voice of the lord your God, to guard and to do all these commandments which I give charge to you today, 6 for the lord your God blessed you in which manner he spoke to you; then you shall lend [²nations ¹to many], but you shall not borrow; and you shall control [²nations ¹many], but of you they shall not control.

Care for the Brethren

7 And if there should be among you one lacking from your brethren in one of your cities in the land which the lord your God gives to you, you shall not disregard your heart, nor in any way close your hand from your brother -- the one wanting. 8 In opening, you shall open your hands to him, and [²a loan ¹you shall lend] to him as much as he wants, and according to as much as he lacks. 9 Take heed to yourself! there be not [²thing ¹a hidden] in your heart, a violation of the law, saying, [⁴approaches ¹The ³year ²seventh], the year of the release; and [²should be wicked ¹your eye] towards your brother that is wanting, that you should not give to him; and he shall call to aid against you to the lord, and there shall be in you [²sin ¹a great]. 10 Giving, you shall give to him, and [³a loan ¹you shall lend ²to him] as much as he wants of you. And you shall not fret in your heart of your giving to him, for on account of this matter [³will bless ⁴you ¹the lord ²your God] in all your works, and in all things of which ever you should put your hand to. 11 For in no way should [²fail ¹the one lacking] from your land. Because of this I give charge to you to do this thing, saying, In opening, you shall open your hands to [³brother ¹your ²needy], and to the one wanting upon your land. 12 And if [³should be sold ⁴to you ¹your brother ²a Hebrew man], or the Hebrew woman, he shall serve to you six years, and the seventh you shall send him free from you. 13 And whenever you should send him free from you, you shall not send him empty. 14 With supplies you shall provide him from your sheep, and from your grain, and from your wine vat. As [³blessed ⁴you ¹the lord ²your God] you shall give to him. 15 And you shall remember that you were a servant in the land of Egypt, and [³ransomed ⁴you ¹the lord ²your God] from there. On account of this I give charge to you to do this thing. 16 But if he should say to you, I shall not go forth from you, for he loves you, and your house, for it is good to him to be by you; 17 then you shall take the shoemaker's awl, and make a hole in his ear against the door, and he will be to you a servant into the eon. And of your maidservant you shall do likewise. 18 [²not ⁴hard ¹It shall ³be] before you sending them free from you, for the yearly wage of the hireling -- he served to you six years. And [³shall bless ⁴you ¹the lord ²your God] in all what ever you should do. 19 Every first-born which ever should give birth among your oxen, and among your sheep, [²the ³males ¹you shall sanctify] to the lord your God. You shall not work with [²first-born ³calf ¹your], and in no way should you shear the first-born of your sheep. 20 Before the lord your God you shall eat it year by year, in the place in which ever [³should choose ¹the lord ²your God] -- you and your house. 21 And if there might be in it a blemish -- lame or blind, or even any [²blemish ¹severe], you shall not sacrifice it to the lord your God. 22 In your cities you shall eat it. The unclean in you and the clean likewise shall eat as the doe or stag. 23 Except its blood you shall not eat; [³upon ⁴the ⁵ground ¹you shall pour ²it] as water.