Chapter 15

At the end of [every] seven years thou shalt make⁴ a release.

And this [is] the manner of the release: Every creditor ^{4874 3027} that lendeth⁵⁵ [ought] unto his neighbour shall release² [it]; he shall not exact⁴ [it] of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called¹ the LORD'S release.

Of a foreigner thou mayest exact⁴ [it again]: but [that] which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;⁵⁵

Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly¹⁵ bless¹⁷ thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth⁶ thee [for] an inheritance to possess² it:

Only if thou carefully² hearken⁴ unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe² to do² all these commandments which I command¹⁸ thee this day.

For the LORD thy God blesseth¹⁴ thee, as he promised¹⁴ thee: and thou shalt lend⁵² unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow;⁴ and thou shalt reign¹ over many nations, but they shall not reign⁴ over thee.

If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth⁶ thee, thou shalt not harden¹⁷ thine heart, nor shut⁴ thine hand from thy poor brother:

But thou shalt open⁴ thine hand wide² unto him, and shalt surely⁵³ lend⁵⁵ him sufficient for his need, [in that] which he wanteth.⁴

Beware¹⁰ that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying,² The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand;¹ and thine eye be evil¹ against thy poor brother, and thou givest⁴ him nought; and he cry¹ unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

Thou shalt surely² give⁴ him, and thine heart shall not be grieved⁴ when thou givest² unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless¹⁷ thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.

For the poor shall never cease⁴ out of the land: therefore I command¹⁸ thee, saying,² Thou shalt open⁴ thine hand wide² unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

[And] if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold¹¹ unto thee, and serve¹ thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go¹⁷ free from thee.

And when thou sendest him out¹⁷ free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away¹⁷ empty:

Thou shalt furnish⁵⁵ him liberally⁵³ out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: [of that] wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed¹⁴ thee thou shalt give⁴ unto him.

And thou shalt remember¹ that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed⁴ thee: therefore I command¹⁸ thee this thing to day.

And it shall be, if he say⁴ unto thee, I will not go away⁴ from thee; because he loveth¹ thee and thine house, because he is well¹ with thee;

Then thou shalt take¹ an aul, and thrust¹ [it] through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do⁴ likewise.

It shall not seem hard⁴ unto thee, when thou sendest him away¹⁵ free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant [to thee], in serving¹ thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless¹⁴ thee in all that thou doest.⁴

All the firstling males that come¹¹ of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify⁵⁵ unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work⁴ with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear⁴ the firstling of thy sheep.

Thou shalt eat⁴ [it] before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose,⁴ thou and thy household.

And if there be [any] blemish therein, [as if it be] lame, or blind, [or have] any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice⁴ it unto the LORD thy God.

Thou shalt eat⁴ it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean [person shall eat it] alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.

Only thou shalt not eat⁴ the blood thereof; thou shalt pour⁴ it upon the ground as water.