In
this chapter Moses gives orders,
I.
Concerning the release of
debts, every seventh year (ver. 1-6), with a caution that this should be no
hindrance to charitable lending, ver. 7-11. II. Concerning the release of
servants after seven years' service, ver. 12-18. III. Concerning the
sanctification of the firstlings of cattle to God, ver. 19, &c.
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The
Year of Release.
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B.
C. 1451.
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1 At the end of every
seven years thou shalt make a release. 2 And this is the
manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his
neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his
neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD's
release. 3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but
that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;
4 Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD
shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD
thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it: 5
Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD
thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this
day. 6 For the LORD
thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many
nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations,
but they shall not reign over thee. 7 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 giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand
from thy poor brother: 8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide
unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that
which he wanteth. 9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy
wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and
thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and
he cry unto the LORD
against thee, and it be sin unto thee. 10 Thou shalt surely give
him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because
that for this thing the LORD
thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest
thine hand unto. 11 For the poor shall never cease out of the
land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto
thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
Here is, I. A law for the relief of poor debtors, such (we may suppose) as
were insolvent. Every seventh year was a year of release, in which the
ground rested from being tilled and servants were discharged from their
services; and, among other acts of grace, this was one, that those who had
borrowed money, and had not been able to pay it before, should this year be
released from it; and though, if they were able, they were afterwards bound
in conscience to repay it, yet thenceforth the creditor should never recover
it by law. Many good expositors think it only forbids the exacting of the
debt in the year of release, because, no harvest being gathered in that
year, it could not be expected that men should pay their debts then, but
that afterwards it might be sued for and recovered: so that the release did
not extinguish the debt, but only stayed the process for a time. But others
think it was a release of the debt for ever, and this seems more probable,
yet under certain limitations expressed or implied. It is supposed (v.
3) that the debtor was an Israelite (an alien could not take the benefit of
this law) and that he was poor (v. 4), that he did not borrow for
trade or purchase, but for the subsistence of his family, and that now he
could not pay it without reducing himself to poverty and coming under a
necessity of seeking relief in other countries, which might be his
temptation to revolt from God. The law is not that the creditor shall not
receive the debt if the debtor, or his friends for him, can pay it; but he
shall not exact it by a legal process. The reasons of this law are, 1. To
put an honour upon the sabbatical year: Because it is called the Lord's
release, v. 2. That was Gods year for their land, as the weekly
sabbath was God's day for themselves, their servants, and cattle; and, as by
the resting of their ground, so by the release of their debts, God would
teach them to depend upon his providence. This year of release typified the
grace of the gospel, in which is proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord,
and by which we obtain the release of our debts, that is, the pardon of our
sins, and we are taught to forgive injuries, as we are and hope to be
forgiven of God. 2. It was to prevent the falling of any Israelite into
extreme poverty: so the margin reads (v. 4), To the end there
shall be no poor among you, none miserably and scandalously poor, to the
reproach of their nation and religion, the reputation of which they ought to
preserve. 3. God's security is here given by a divine promise that, whatever
they lost by their poor debtors, it should be made up to them in the
blessing of God upon all they had and did, v. 4-6. Let them take care
to do their duty, and then God would bless them with such great increase
that what they might lose by bad debts, if they generously remitted them,
should not be missed out of their stock at the year's end. Not only, the
Lord shall bless thee (v. 4), but he doth bless thee, v.
6. It is altogether inexcusable if, though God had given us abundance, so
that we have not only enough but to spare, yet we are rigorous and server in
our demands from our poor brethren; for our abundance should be the supply
of their wants, that at least there may not be such an inequality as is
between two extremes, 2 Cor. viii. 14. They must also consider that their
land was God's gift to them, that all their increase was the fruit of God's
blessing upon them, and therefore they were bound in duty to him to use and
dispose of their estates as he should order and direct them. And, lastly,
If they would remit what little sums they had lent to their poor brethren,
it is promised that they should be able to lend great sums to their rich
neighbours, even to many nations (v. 6), and should be
enriched by those loans. Thus the nations should become subject to them, and
dependent on them, as the borrower is servant to the lender, Prov.
xxii. 7. To be able to lend, and not to have need to borrow, we must look
upon as a great mercy, and a good reason why we should do good with what we
have, lest we provoke God to turn the scales.
II. Here is a law in favour of poor borrowers, that they might not suffer
damage by the former law. Men would be apt to argue, If the case of a man
be so with his debtor that if the debt be not paid before the year of
release it shall be lost, it were better not to lend. "No," says
this branch of the statute, "thou shalt not think such a thought."
1. It is taken for granted that there would be poor among them, who would
have occasion to borrow (v. 7), and that there would never cease to
be some such objects of charity (v. 7), and that there would never
cease to be some such objects of charity (v. 11): The poor shall
never cease out of thy land, though not such as were reduced to extreme
poverty, yet such as would be behind-hand, and would have occasion to
borrow; of such poor he here speaks, and such we have always with us, so
that a charitable disposition may soon find a charitable occasion. 2. In
such a case we are here commanded to lend or give, according to our ability
and the necessity of the case: Thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut
thy hand, v. 7. If the hand be shut, it is a sign the heart is
hardened; for, if the clouds were full of rain, they would empty
themselves, Eccl. xi. 3. Bowels of compassion would produce liberal
distributions, Jam. ii. 15, 16. Thou shalt not only stretch out thy hand to
him to reach him something, but thou shalt open thy hand wide unto him,
to lend him sufficient, v. 8. Sometimes there is as much
charity in prudent lending as in giving, as it obliges the borrower to
industry and honesty and may put him into a way of helping himself. We are
sometimes tempted to think, when an object of charity presents itself, we
may choose whether we will give any thing or nothing, little or much;
whereas it is here an express precept (v. 11), I command thee,
not only to give, but to open thy hand wide, to give liberally. 3.
Here is a caveat against that objection which might arise against charitable
lending from the foregoing law for the release of debts (v. 9): Beware
that there be not a thought, a covetous ill-natured thought, in thy
Belial heart, "The year of release is at hand, and therefore I will
not lend what I must then be sure to lose;" lest thy poor brother, whom
thou refusest to lend to, complain to God, and it will be a sin, a great
sin, to thee. Note, (1.) The law is spiritual and lays a restraint upon the
thoughts of the heart. We mistake if we think thoughts are free from the
divine cognizance and check. (2.) That is a wicked heart indeed that raises
evil thoughts from the good law of God, as theirs did who, because God had
obliged them to the charity of forgiving, denied the charity of giving. (3.)
We must carefully watch against all those secret suggestions which would
divert us from our duty or discourage us in it. Those that would keep from
the act of sin must keep out of their minds the very thought of sin. (4.)
When we have an occasion of charitable lending, if we cannot trust the
borrower, we must trust God, and lend, hoping for nothing again in this
world, but expecting it will be recompensed in the resurrection of the just,
Luke vi. 35; xiv. 14. (5.) It is a dreadful thing to have the cry of the
poor against us, for God has his ear open to that cry, and, in compassion to
them, will be sue to reckon with those that deal hardly with them. (6.) That
which we think is our prudence often proves sin to us; he that refused to
lend because the year of release was at hand thought he did wisely, and that
men would praise him as doing well for himself, Ps. xlix. 18. But he
is here told that he did wickedly, and that God would condemn him as doing
ill to his brother; and we are sure that the judgment of God is according
to truth, and that what he says is sin to us will certainly be ruin to
us if it be not repented of.
III. Here is a command to give cheerfully whatever we give in charity:
"Thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest, v. 10.
Be not loth to part with thy money on so good an account, nor think it lost;
grudge not a kindness to they brother; and distrust not the providence of
God, as if thou shouldest want that thyself which thou givest in charity;
but, on the contrary, let it be a pleasure and a satisfaction of soul to
thee to think that thou art honouring God with thy substance, doing good,
making thy brother easy, and laying up for thyself a good security for the
time to come. What thou doest do freely, for God loves a cheerful giver,"
2 Cor. ix. 7.
IV. Here is a promise of a recompence in this life: "For this thing
the Lord thy God shall bless thee." Covetous people say
"Giving undoes us;" no, giving cheerfully in charity will enrich
us, it will fill the barns with plenty (Prov. iii. 10) and the soul
with true comfort, Isa. lviii. 10, 11.
12 And if thy brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, be sold unto
thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him
go free from thee. 13 And when thou sendest him out free from
thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: 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. 15 And thou
shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD
thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.
16 And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee;
because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee;
17 Then thou shalt take an awl, 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. 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.
Here is, I. A repetition of the law that had been given concerning Hebrew
servants who had sold themselves for servants, or were sold by their parents
through extreme poverty, or were sold by the court of judgment for some
crime committed. The law was, 1. That they should serve but six years, and
in the seventh should go out free, v. 12. Compare Exod. xxi. 2. And,
if the year of jubilee happened before they served out their time, that
would be their discharge. God's Israel were a free people, and must not be
compelled to perpetual slavery; thus are God's spiritual Israel called unto
liberty. 2. That if, when their six years' service had expired, they had no
mind to go out free, but would rather continue in service, as having less
care, though taking more pains, than their masters, in this case they must
lay themselves under an obligation to serve for ever, that is, for life, by
having their ears bored to the door-posts, v. 16, 17. Compare
Exod. xxi. 6. If hereby a man disgraced himself with some, as of a mean and
servile spirit, that had not a due sense of the honour and pleasure of
liberty, yet, we may suppose, with others he got reputation, as of a quiet
contented spirit, humble, and diligent, and loving, and not given to
change.
II. Here is an addition to this law, requiring them to put some small stock
into their servants' hands to set up with for themselves, when they sent
them out of their service, v. 13, 14. It was to be supposed that they
had nothing of their own, and that their friends had little or nothing for
them, else they else they would have been redeemed before they were
discharged by law; they had no wages for their service, and all they got by
their labour was their masters', so that their liberty would do them little
good, having nothing to begin the world with; therefore their masters are
here commanded to furnish them liberally with corn and cattle. No certain
measure is prescribed: that is left to the generosity of the master, who
probably would have respect to the servant's merit and necessity; but the
Jewish writers say, "He could not give less than the value of thirty
shekels of silver, but as much more as he pleased" The maid-servants,
though they were not to have their ears bored if they were disposed to stay,
yet, if they went out free, they were to have a gratuity given them; for to
this those words refer, Unto thy maid-servant thou shalt do likewise,
v. 17. The reasons for this are taken from the law of gratitude. They
must do it, 1. In gratitude to God, who had not only brought them out of
Egypt (v. 15), but brought them out greatly enriched with the spoils
of the Egyptians. Let them not send their servants out empty, for they were
not sent empty out of the house of bondage. God's tender care of us and
kindness to us oblige us to be careful of, and kind to, those that have a
dependence upon us. Thus we must render according to the benefit done
unto us. 2. In gratitude to their servants, v. 18. "Grudge
not to give him a little out of thy abundance, for he has been worth a
double hired servant unto thee. The days of the hireling at most were
but three years (Isa. xvi. 14), but he has served thee six years, and,
unlike the hired servant, without any wages." Masters and landlords
ought to consider what need they have of, and what ease and advantage they
have by, their servants and tenants, and should not only be just but kind to
them. To these reasons it is added, as before in this chapter (v. 4,
6, 10), The Lord they God shall bless thee. Then we may expect family
blessings, the springs of family-prosperity, when we make conscience of our
duty to our family-relations.
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. 20 Thou shalt eat it before
the LORD
thy God year by year in the place which the LORD
shall choose, thou and thy household. 21 And if there be any
blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill
blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD
thy God. 22 Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and
the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the
hart. 23 Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt
pour it upon the ground as water.
Here is, 1. A repetition of the law concerning the firstlings of their
cattle, that, if they were males, they were to be sanctified to the Lord
(v. 19), in remembrance of, and in thankfulness for, the sparing of
the first-born of Israel, when the first-born of the Egyptians, both of man
and beast, were slain by the destroying angel (Exod. xiii. 2, 15); on the
eighth day it was to be given to God ( Exod. xxii. 30), and to be divided
between the priest and the altar, Num. xviii. 17, 18. 2. An addition to that
law, for the further explication of it, directing them what to do with the
firstlings, (1.) That were females: "Thou shalt do no work with the
female firstlings of the cow, nor shear those of the sheep" (v.
19); of them the learned bishop Patrick understands it. Though the female
firstlings were not so entirely sanctified to God as the males, nor so early
as at eight days old, yet they were not to be converted by the owners to
their own use as the other cattle, but must be offered to God as
peace-offerings, or used in a religious feast, at the year's end, v.
20. Thou shalt eat it before the Lord thy God, as directed ch.
xii. 18. (2.) But what must they do with that which was blemished,
ill-blemished? v. 21. Were it male or female, it must not be brought
near the sanctuary, nor used either for sacrifice or for holy feasting, for
it would not be fit to honour God with, nor to typify Christ, who is a Lamb
without blemish; yet it must not be reared, but killed and eaten at
their own houses as common food (v. 22), only they must be sure not
to eat it with the blood, v. 23. The frequent repetition of this
caution intimates what need the people had of it, and what stress God laid
upon it. What a mercy it is that we are not under this yoke! We are not
dieted as they were; we make no difference between a first calf, or lamb,
and the rest that follow. Let us therefore realize the gospel meaning of
this law, devoting ourselves and the first of our time and strength to God,
as a kind of first-fruits of his creatures, and using all our comforts and
enjoyments to his praise and under the direction of his law, as we have them
all by his gift.
