Deuteronomy 15
1EVERY seven years thou shalt make a release.
2And this is the ordinance touching this release. Thou shalt remit every private debt which thy neighbour oweth thee, and shalt not demand it of thy brother; for the release for the Lord thy God is proclaimed.
3Of a stranger thou mayst demand what may be due to thee from him; but to a brother thou shalt make a release of what he oweth thee,
4because among you there is to be none in want; because the Lord thy God will, with blessing, bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, that you may possess it, if you will but hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep, and perform, all these commandments which I this day command you.
6Because the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in the manner He promised thee, therefore thou shalt lend to many nations and shalt not borrow, and thou shalt rule over many nations, and they shall not rule over thee.
7If then there chance to be among you a needy person—one of thy brethren——in one of thy cities in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy brother who is in want.
8Thou shalt open thy hands liberally to him, and lend him what he is in want of, according to his necessity.
9Take heed to thyself that there be not a lurking thought in thy heart—a wicked suggestion, saying, The seventh year, the year of remission is near at hand. When thou shalt look with an evil eye at thy brother who is in want, and not give him, he will cry to the Lord against thee, and it will be a great sin in thee.
10Thou shalt surely give him, and lend him freely, what he is in want of, according to his necessity. And thou shalt not be grieved at heart when thou givest to him; for on this account the Lord thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all the labours of thy hands.
11Because thy land may never be without some indigent person in it, therefore I give thee a charge to do this thing, saying, Thou shalt open thy hands liberally to thy brother who is in want, and to the needy in thy land.
12And if thy brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, he sold to thee, he shall serve thee six years; and on the seventh thou shalt send him away from thee, free.
13And when thou shalt send him away free from thee, thou shalt not send him away empty.
14Thou shalt furnish him liberally with provision for the journey, from thy flock and from thy corn, and thy wine. According as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee, thou shalt give him;
15and remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that thence the Lord thy God redeemed thee; therefore I command thee to do this thing.
16And if he shall say to thee, I will not go away from thee, because he hath loved thee, and thy family, and is well with thee;
17then thou shalt take an awl, and bore his ear against the door, and he shall be thy servant forever. And in the same manner thou shalt treat thy maid servant.
18It shall not seem hard to thee that they are let go free from thee; for they have saved thee the wages of an hireling. He hath served thee six years.
19When the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all thou doest, every firstling of thy herds, and thy flocks, even all the males, thou shalt dedicate to the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not work a firstling bull, nor shear the firstlings of thy flock.
20Thou shalt eat them before the Lord, year after year, in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, thou and thy household.
21But if any hath a blemish in it—if it be lame, or blind, or any way blemished, thou shalt not sacrifice it to the Lord thy God.
22In thy cities thou mayst eat it—the unclean with thee as well as the clean may eat it, like the roebuck or deer.
23But the blood you shall not eat. Thou shalt pour out that on the ground, like water.