Deut. 15 The seventh year a year of release, Deut. 15:1, to their brethren only, Deut. 15:2–3. God promiseth to bless them in the land of Canaan, Deut. 15:4–6; and commandeth them to lend freely to the poor, Deut. 15:7–18. The firstlings to be sanctified and eaten before the Lord, Deut. 15:19–23.

i.e. In the last year of the seven, as is most evident from Deut. 15:9, Ex. 21:2, Jer. 34:14. So the like phrase is oft used, as Deut. 14:28, Josh. 3:2, Jer. 25:12, Luke 2:21, Acts 2:1. And this year of release, as it is called below, Deut. 15:9, is the same with the sabbatical year, Ex.

Shall release it; not absolutely and finally forgive it, but forbear it for that year, as may appear, 1. Because the word doth not signify a total dismission or acquitting, but an intermission for a time, as Ex. 23:11. He shall not exact it, as it here follows, i.e.

A foreigner, or stranger, yea, though a proselyte. For, 1. They are oft called by this name, as Gen. 17:12, Ruth 2:10. 2. Though proselytes were admitted to the church privileges of the Israelites, yet they were not admitted to all their civil immunities or privileges. See 1 Chron. 22:2, 2 Chron.

When there shall be no poor: so the words are an exception to the foregoing clause, which they restrain to the poor, and imply that if his brother was rich, he might exact his debt of him in that year.

Thou shalt lend unto many; thou shalt be rich and able to lend not only to thy poor brother, but even to strangers of other nations, yea, to many of them.

Open thine hand wide unto him, i.e. deal bountifully and liberally with him, giving him as it were by handfuls.

Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart; suppress the first risings and inward motions of such uncharitableness. Thine eye be evil, i.e. envious, unmerciful, unkind, as this phrase is used, Prov. 23:6, Matt. 20:15; as a good eye notes the contrary disposition, Prov. 22:9.

Thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him, i.e. thou shalt give not only with an open hand, but with a willing and cheerful mind and heart, Rom. 12:8, 2 Cor. 9:9, without which thy very charity is uncharitable, and not accepted by God, who requires the heart in all his services.

The poor shall never cease out of the land; God by his providence will so order it, partly for the punishment of your disobedience, and partly for the trial and exercise of your obedience to me, and charity to your brother, both which are best discovered by your performance of costly duties.

If thy brother be sold unto thee. See Poole “Ex. 22:3”. Six years; to be computed, either, 1. From the year of release; as they gather from hence that personal and real debts were both released together.

And the Lord thy God redeemed thee, and brought thee out with triumph and with riches, which because they would not, God did, give to thee as a just recompence for thy service, and therefore thou shalt follow his example, and send out thy servant furnished with all convenient provisions.

Because he is sensible that he fares well with thee. Or, because it is good, i.e. acceptable in his eyes, or pleasing to him, to be with thee.

For ever, i.e. all the time of his life, or, at least, till the year of jubilee. See on Ex. 21:6. Unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do likewise, i.e. either dismiss her honourably, and with plenty of provisions; or engage her to perpetual servitude in the same manner, and by the same rites; whence…

He hath been worth a double-hired servant to thee; or, he deserves double wages to an hired servant, because he served thee upon better terms, both without wages, which hired servants require, and for a longer time, even for six years, as it here follows, whereas servants were ordinarily hired but…

With the firstling of thy bullock: this is meant, either, 1. Of the male firstlings; which, they say, is forbidden here, because some did plough with the firstlings of their oxen, and shear the firstlings of their sheep, before they were offered.

Thou shalt eat; either, 1. Thou, O priest. Or rather, 2. Thou, O Israelite. For it is evident that the same person who was forbidden to work with these, Deut. 15:19, is here commanded to eat them, &c. Thou shalt eat it, together with the Levites, as it is to be understood from Deut. 12:18, Deut.