Deuteronomy 23:15-16

Other Aspects Of Attitude and Behaviour (Deuteronomy 23:15).

Analysis in the words of Moses:

a You shall not deliver to his master a slave who is escaped from his master to you, he shall dwell with you, in the midst of you, in the place which he shall choose within one of your gates, where it pleases him best. You shall not oppress him.

b There shall be no cult prostitute (holy one) of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a cult sodomite (holy one) of the sons of Israel.

c You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a dog, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow, for even both these are an abomination to Yahweh your God

d You shall not lend on interest to your brother; interest of silver, interest of victuals, interest of anything that is lent on interest

d To a foreigner you may lend on interest, but to your brother you shall not lend on interest, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all that you put your hand to, in the land to which you go in to possess it.

c When you shall vow a vow to Yahweh your God, you shall not be slack to pay it, for Yahweh your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin in you. But if you shall forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in you

b What is gone out of your lips you shall observe and do; according as you have vowed to Yahweh your God, a freewill-offering, which you have promised with your mouth.

a When you come into your neighbour's vineyard, then you may eat of grapes your fill at your own pleasure, but you shall not put any in your vessel. When you come into your neighbour's standing grain, then you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not move a sickle to your neighbour's standing grain. (This command is based on the principle that the land is Yahweh's. He is the master and Israel were His servants (Deuteronomy 32:36; Leviticus 25:55), and thus Yahweh could make for the land what provisions He would).

Note that in ‘a' a slave who escapes from a foreign master (and is now in someone else's land) must be welcomed. He may live where he chooses among them and must not be oppressed. In the parallel someone who is in someone else's field may partake of what is in it as long as he only takes what is necessary at the time in order to satisfy his hunger (he must thus not be disapproved of). And this was based on the fact of Yahweh's ownership of the land, and the fact that He was the master and Israel His ‘slaves'. Compare Isaiah 1:3). It was also based on the fact that they had been slaves to a cruel foreign master in Egypt and must therefore now show compassion (compare Deuteronomy 24:22). In ‘b' ‘holy ones' in terms of prostitutes both male and female are forbidden in Israel, and in the parallel men and women shall be truly holy by observing their vows. In ‘c' the wages of male and female prostitutes are not to be accepted for a vow, and in the parallel a truly made vow must be performed in timely fashion. In ‘d' it is forbidden to lend on interest to a brother, but in the parallel such lending to foreigners is allowed.

Escaped Slaves Shall Not Be Forced To Return To Their Masters (Deuteronomy 23:15).

This would apparently refer to slaves who escaped from another country. The point was almost certainly that Israel themselves were in a sense escaped slaves and should therefore treat other escaped slaves well and not return them to their place of origin. Rather they must be welcomed. This would forbid extradition clauses which were a feature of some treaties.

Deuteronomy 23:15

‘ You shall not deliver to his master a slave who is escaped from his master to you, he shall dwell with you, in the midst of you, in the place which he shall choose within one of your gates, where it pleases him best. You shall not oppress him.'

An escaped slave who came among them must be free to choose where he would live. This fact is emphasised. He was to be a totally free man. Note the threefold emphasis so common in Deuteronomy, ‘in the midst of you (as one of you), in the place which he shall choose within your gates, where it pleases him best.' He would probably also be welcome into the assembly of Israel if he was willing to commit himself to the covenant.

“In the place which he shall choose.” It can hardly be a coincidence that this phrase was used. Thus the freedom of the escaped slave is compared with the freedom of Yahweh to choose His own place. He was under Yahweh's special care.