Deuteronomy 15 · Verse 18

Deuteronomy 15:18

It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
Deuteronomy 15:18, King James Version

Deuteronomy 15:18 in other translations

BSBDo not regard it as a hardship to set your servant free, because his six years of service were worth twice the wages of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in all you do.
WEBIt shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for he has been double the value of a hired hand as he served you six years. The LORD your God will bless you in all that you do.
ASVIt shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou lettest him go free from thee; for to the double of the hire of a hireling hath he served thee six years: and Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all that thou doest.
YLT‘It is not hard in thine eyes, in thy sending him away free from thee; for the double of the hire of an hireling he hath served thee six years, and Jehovah thy God hath blessed thee in all that thou dost.
DARBYLet it not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for double the worth of a hired servant hath he been to thee, in serving thee six years; and Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all that thou doest.
BBELet it not seem hard to you that you have to send him away free; for he has been working for you for six years, which is twice the regular time for a servant: and the blessing of the Lord your God will be on you in everything you do.
WebsterIt shall not seem hard to thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been of double the worth of a hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.

What does Deuteronomy 15:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee--that is, he is entitled to double wages because his service was more advantageous to you, being both without wages and for a length of time, whereas hired servants were engaged yearly (Le 25:53), or at most for three years (Is 16:14).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · 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 15:18 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.

לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
יִקְשֶׁ֣הyik.Shehit will be hardH7185
בְעֵינֶ֗ךָve.'ei.Ne.khain view yourH5869
בְּשַׁלֵּֽחֲךָ֙be.sha.le.cha.Khawhen letting go youH7971
אֹת֤וֹ'o.To<obj.> himH853
חָפְשִׁי֙cha.fe.Shia free [person]H2670
מֵֽעִמָּ֔ךְme.'i.Makhfrom with <the> youH5973
כִּ֗יKiforH3588
מִשְׁנֶה֙mish.NehdoubleH4932
שְׂכַ֣רse.Khar[the] hire ofH7939
שָׂכִ֔ירsa.Khira hired laborerH7916
עֲבָֽדְךָ֖'a.va.de.Khahe has served youH5647
שֵׁ֣שׁsheshsixH8337
שָׁנִ֑יםsha.NimyearsH8141
וּבֵֽרַכְךָ֙u.ve.rakh.Khaand he will bless youH1288
יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaGod yourH430
בְּכֹ֖לbe.Kholin allH3605
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherthatH834
תַּעֲשֶֽׂה\׃\ \פta.'a.Sehyou will doH6213

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

Cross references for Deuteronomy 15:18

  • Isaiah 21:16

    For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:

  • Isaiah 16:14

    But now the Lord hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble.

  • Luke 17:7-8

    But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
shall not.
10
a double.
Isa 16:14; 21:16; Lu 17:7,8

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

Context

  • Deuteronomy 15:17

    Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.

  • Deuteronomy 15:18

    It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.

  • Deuteronomy 15:19

    All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.

Read all of Deuteronomy 15

Deuteronomy 15:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No te parezca duro cuando le enviares libre de ti; que doblado del salario de mozo jornalero te sirvió seis años: y Jehová tu Dios te bendecirá en todo cuanto hicieres.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ce ne sera pas à tes yeux chose pénible de le renvoyer libre de chez toi, car il t’a servi six ans, ce qui te vaut le double du salaire d’un mercenaire; et l’ Éternel, ton Dieu, te bénira dans tout ce que tu feras.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Es soll nicht schwer sein in deinen Augen, wenn du ihn frei von dir entlässest; denn das Doppelte des Lohnes eines Tagelöhners hat er dir sechs Jahre lang gedient; und Jehova, dein Gott, wird dich segnen in allem, was du tust.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non avertas ab eis oculos tuos, quando dimiseris eos liberos, quoniam juxta mercedem mercenarii per sex annos servivit tibi: ut benedicat tibi Dominus Deus tuus in cunctis operibus quæ agis.