Deuteronomy 15 · Verse 13

Deuteronomy 15:13

And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:
Deuteronomy 15:13, King James Version

Deuteronomy 15:13 in other translations

BSBAnd when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed.
WEBWhen you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty.
ASVAnd when thou lettest him go free from thee, thou shalt not let him go empty:
YLTAnd when thou dost send him away free from thee, thou dost not send him away empty;
DARBYAnd when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty;
BBEAnd when you make him free, do not let him go away with nothing in his hands:
WebsterAnd when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him depart empty:

What does Deuteronomy 15:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 15:13-15
13-15. thou shalt not let him go away empty--A seasonable and wise provision for enabling a poor unfortunate to regain his original status in society, and the motive urged for his kindness and humanity to the Hebrew slave was the remembrance that the whole nation was once a degraded and persecuted band of helots in Egypt. Thus, kindness towards their slaves, unparalleled elsewhere in those days, was inculcated by the Mosaic law; and in all their conduct towards persons in that reduced condition, leniency and gentleness were enforced by an appeal which no Israelite could resist.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 Thou shalt not let him go away empty - Because during the time he served thee, he made no property for himself, having been always honest towards thee; and now when he leaves thee, he has nothing to begin the world with.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 15:12-18

Here the law concerning Hebrew servants is repeated. There is an addition, requiring the masters to put some small stock into their servants' hands to set up with for themselves, when sent out of their servitude, wherein they had received no wages. We may expect family blessings, the springs of family prosperity, when we make conscience of our duty to our family relations. We are to remember that we are debtors to…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 15:12-18 →

Deuteronomy 15:13 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.

וְכִֽי\־ve.khi-and ifH3588
תְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּte.shal.le.Che.nuyou will let go himH7971
חָפְשִׁ֖יcha.fe.Shia free [person]H2670
מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְme.'i.Makhfrom with <the> youH5973
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
תְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּte.shal.le.Che.nuyou will let go himH7971
רֵיקָֽם\׃rei.KamemptilyH7387

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

Cross references for Deuteronomy 15:13

  • Jeremiah 22:13

    Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;

  • Malachi 3:5

    And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

  • Proverbs 3:27-28

    Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

  • Exodus 3:21

    And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:

  • Genesis 31:42

    Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

  • Colossians 4:1

    Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

  • Leviticus 25:42-44

    For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God. Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
This is a most humane and merciful addition to the law in Ex 21:2-11; enforced upon the Israelites by the consideration of their Egyptian bondage. As a faithful servant has made no property for himself while honestly serving his master, so now, when he quits his service, he has nothing to begin the world with except what the kindness of his master may bestow upon him as a remuneration for his zeal and fidelity. Though what was to be bestowed upon servants is not fixed, yet they were to be liberally supplied. (ver. 14.)
Ge 31:42; Ex 3:21; Le 25:42-44; Pr 3:27,28; Jer 22:13; Mal 3:5
Col 4:1

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

Context

  • Deuteronomy 15:12

    And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.

  • Deuteronomy 15:13

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

  • Deuteronomy 15:14

    Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.

Read all of Deuteronomy 15

Deuteronomy 15:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cuando lo despidieres libre de ti, no lo enviarás vacío:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et quand tu le renverras libre de chez toi, tu ne le renverras pas à vide.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und wenn du ihn frei von dir entlässest, so sollst du ihn nicht leer entlassen:
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et quem libertate donaveris, nequaquam vacuum abire patieris: