Deuteronomy 15 · Verse 1

Deuteronomy 15:1

At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.
Deuteronomy 15:1, King James Version

Deuteronomy 15:1 in other translations

BSBAt the end of every seven years you must cancel debts.
WEBAt the end of every seven years, you shall cancel debts.
ASVAt the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.
YLT‘At the end of seven years thou dost make a release,
DARBYAt the end of seven years thou shalt make a release,
BBEAt the end of every seven years there is to be a general forgiveness of debt.
WebsterAt the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.

What does Deuteronomy 15:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

De 15:1-11. The Seventh Year, a Year of Release for the Poor.

1. At the end of every seven years--during the last of the seven, that is, the sabbatical year (Ex 21:2; 23:11; Le 25:4; Jr 34:14).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

The Sabbatical year of release, Deu 15:1. The manner in which this release shall take place, Deu 15:2-5. Of lending to the poor, and the disposition in which it should be done, Deu 15:6-11. Of the Hebrew servant who has served six years, and who shall be dismissed well furnished, Deu 15:12-15. The ceremony of boring the ear, when the servant wishes to continue with his master, Deu 15:16-18. Of the firstlings of the flock and herd, Deu 15:19, Deu 15:20. Nothing shall be offered that has any blemish, Deu 15:21. The sacrifice to be eaten both by the clean and unclean, except the blood, which is never to be eaten, but poured out upon the ground, Deu 15:22, Deu 15:23. Verse 1 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release - For an explanation of many things in this chapter, see the notes on Exodus 21 (note), Exodus 23 (note), and Leviticus 25 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 15:1-11
This year of release typified the grace of the gospel, in which is proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord; and by which we obtain the release of our debts, that is, the pardon of our sins. The law is spiritual, and lays restraints upon the thoughts of the heart. We mistake, if we think thoughts are free from God's knowledge and check. That is a wicked heart indeed, which raises evil thoughts from the good law of God, as theirs did, who, because God had obliged them to the charity of forgiving, denied the charity of giving. Those who would keep from the act of sin, must keep out of their minds the very thought of sin. It is a dreadful thing to have the cry of the poor justly against us. Grudge not a kindness to thy brother; distrust not the providence of God. What thou doest, do freely, for God loves a cheerful giver, 2Co 9:7.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Deuteronomy 15:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

מִקֵּ֥ץmi.Ketzfrom [the] end ofH7093
שֶֽׁבַע\־she.va'-sevenH7651
שָׁנִ֖יםsha.NimyearsH8141
תַּעֲשֶׂ֥הta.'a.Sehyou will observeH6213
שְׁמִטָּֽה\׃she.mi.Taha remissionH8059

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 15:1

  • Deuteronomy 31:10

    And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,

  • Leviticus 25:2-4

    Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the Lord. Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

  • Exodus 23:10-11

    And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.

  • Exodus 21:2

    If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

  • Luke 4:18-19

    The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

  • Isaiah 61:1-3

    The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

  • Jeremiah 36:8-18

    And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the Lord in the Lord’s house. And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the Lord to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem. Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the Lord’s house, in the ears of all the people. When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the Lord, …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 The seventh year a year of release for the poor.
7 It must be no let of lending or giving.
12 An Hebrew servant, except he will not depart, must in the seventh year go forth free and well furnished.
19 All firstling males of the cattle are to be sanctified unto the Lord.

31:10; Ex 21:2; 23:10,11; Le 25:2-4; Isa 61:1-3; Jer 36:8-18
Lu 4:18,19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 15:1

    At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.

  • Deuteronomy 15:2

    And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the Lord’s release.

Read all of Deuteronomy 15

Deuteronomy 15:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		AL cabo de siete años harás remisión.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Au bout de sept ans, tu feras relâche.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Am Ende von sieben Jahren sollst du einen Erlaß halten. Und dies ist die Sache mit dem Erlasse:
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Septimo anno facies remissionem,