XV. (1) AT THE END OF EVERY SEVEN YEARS THOU SHALT MAKE A RELEASE. — The Law in this place is an extension of that which we find in Exodus 21:2, &c, and Leviticus 25:3, &c., There was not only to be a manumission of Hebrew slaves and a Sabbath for the land in the seventh year, but also _a release o... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVE WHEN THERE SHALL BE NO POOR (MAN) AMONG YOU. — This clause is the source of a very interesting passage in the Acts of the Apostles, Deuteronomy 4:34, “Great grace was upon them all, _for neither was there among them any_ (_one_)_ that lacked”_ The words at the beginning of the verse in Hebrew,... [ Continue Reading ]
ONLY IF THOU CAREFULLY HEARKEN. — “Then there will be none among thee in want.” So Rashi expounds, in the very spirit of the passage in Acts 4.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS HE PROMISED THEE. — “1 will bless thee” was said to Abram (Genesis 12:2). THOU SHALT LEND. — The root of the word in Hebrew is closely connected with the word for “slave.” “The borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7).... [ Continue Reading ]
A POOR MAN.-”That needeth anything.” WITHIN ANY OF THY GATES. — “The poor of thine own city come before the poor of another city.” THOU SHALT NOT HARDEN. — “There are some men who ‘grieve’ (grudge) whether they give or not;” therefore it is said, “Thou shalt not harden thy heart; there are some wh... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT OPEN THINE HAND WIDE. — “Even many times.” AND SHALT SURELY LEND. — “If he does not like to take it as a gift, grant it to him as a loan.” SUFFICIENT FOR HIS NEED. — “But it is not thy duty to make him rich.” IN THAT WHICH HE WANTETH. — “Even ahorse to ride on, and a slave to run befor... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT SURELY GIVE. — “Even a hundred times.” HIM. — “Between thee and him alone.” (Comp. “Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth” in Matthew 6:3). I have thought it worth while to borrow the comments of Rashi on these verses (Deuteronomy 15:7) almost entire, to show how well the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE POOR SHALL NEVER CEASE. — There is no contradiction between this verse and Deuteronomy 15:4 above. There will always be some men falling into poverty; but it is our business to see that they do not remain in want. The poor will never cease, except by the provision made for them by their bret... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THY BROTHER, AN HEBREW MAN, OR AN HEBREW WOMAN, BE SOLD UNTO THEE. — This law is expressly referred to in Jeremiah 34:9; Jeremiah 34:13, as given in the time of the Exodus, and as applicable both to men and women. It first appears in Exodus 21:2, where it occupies the first section of the Sinaiti... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT FURNISH HIM LIBERALLY. — The beneficence of this provision is noticeable. Those who had fallen into poverty, when they had served their time, must be provided with means for a fresh start in life. And since the Jewish commentator regards the slavery of Hebrew men as chiefly a consequence... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT REMEMBER THAT THOU WAST A BONDMAN IN EGYPT. — “And that I furnished and adorned thee from the spoils of Egypt and the spoils of the sea” (Rashi). THEREFORE I COMMAND THEE· — In Leviticus 25:42 the reason is given thus: “They are _my_ servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egy... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UNTO THY MAIDSERVANT THOU SHALT DO LIKEWISE — i.e., “in furnishing her liberally” (Rashi), and “possibly also in retaining her if she will.” It must not be supposed that this contradicts Exodus 21:7, “She shall not go out as the menservants do.” She shall not go out _according to the going of th... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE FIRSTLING MALES.... THOU SHALT SANCTIFY — _i.e.,_ recognise them as the property of Jehovah by not using them for ordinary purposes. In Leviticus 27:26 we read, “No man shall sanctify it” — _i.e.,_ shall make it the subject of a special vow or dedication, because it already belongs to Jehova... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT EAT IT BEFORE THE LORD THY GOD YEAR BY YEAR. — This connects the eating of the firstlings with the “second” tithe (Deuteronomy 14:23), There is some difficulty in understanding the exact relation between this precept and that which assigns the firstlings to the priests (Numbers 18:15) wit... [ Continue Reading ]