Deuteronomy 15:13

_AND WHEN THOU SENDEST HIM OUT FREE FROM THEE, THOU SHALT NOT LET HIM GO AWAY EMPTY:_ Thou shalt not let him go away empty - a seasonable and wise provision for enabling a poor unfortunate to regain his original status in society; and the motive urged for his kindness and humanity to the Hebrew slave was the remembrance that the whole nation was once a degraded and persecuted band of helots in Egypt. Thus, kindness toward their slaves, unparalleled elsewhere in those days, was inculcated by the Mosaic law; and in all their conduct towards persons in that reduced condition, leniency and gentleness were enforced by an appeal which no Israelite could resist....

13._And when thou sendest him out free from thee_. Here not only is the _enfranchisement _of slaves enjoined, but an exhortation to liberality is also added, viz., that they should not send away their slaves without their hire; for this is not a civil enactment for the purpose of extorting from the avaricious more than they were willing to give. The rule of Paul here applies: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, _so let him give_; not grudgingly or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7.) But, since the Hebrew slaves were brethren, God would not allow them to be placed in a worse condition than hirelings. That He commands them to be furnished out of the wine-press, and floor, and flock, does not mean that they were to be enriched, or that a large provision should be assigned to them, but He justly lays a constraint on the

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 Divine justice, and have nothing to pay with. That we are slaves, poor, and perishing. But the Lord Jesus Christ, by becoming poor, and by shedding his blood, has made a full and free provision for the payment of our debts, the ransom of our souls, and the supply of all our wants. When the gospel is clearly preached, the acceptable year of the Lord is proclaimed; the year of release of our debts, of the deliverance of our souls, and of obtaining rest in him. And as faith...

Verse Deuteronomy 15:13. _THOU SHALT NOT LET HIM GO AWAY EMPTY_] Because during the time he served thee, he made no property for himself, having been always honest towards thee; and now when he leaves thee, he has nothing to begin the world with....

EXPOSITION THE YEAR OF RELEASE FOR THE BENEFIT OF DEBTORS AND THE EMANCIPATION OF HEBREW SLAVES. THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE FIRSTBORN OF CATTLE. DEUTERONOMY 15:1 To the prescription of a tithe for the needy there is added a regulation for the behalf of debtors. The Israelites were not only to help the poor, but they were to refrain from what would be a hardship and oppression to them. Debtors, consequently, were not to be deprived of the benefit of the sabbatical year, for

AND WHEN THOU SENDEST HIM OUT FREE FROM THEE,.... When he discharged him from his servitude, and made him a free man: THOU SHALL NOT LET HIM GO AWAY EMPTY; without anything to support himself, or to put himself in a way of business; he having in the time of his servitude worked entirely for his master, and so could not have got and saved anything for himself....

11. THE YEAR OF RELEASE AND LIBERATION OF HEBREW SLAVES CHAPTER 15:1-18 _ 1. The year of release (Deuteronomy 15:1)_ 2. The liberation of the Hebrew slaves (Deuteronomy 15:12) The poor and those who have no possession were to be remembered in kindness and have a share in the blessings. Linked with this law are the laws not to force and oppress the poor, the year of release and the liberation of the slaves. The great Sabbatic year, the seventh, brought the release. See Exodus 23:10 and Leviticus 25:2. Here we have an enlarged exposition of the previously given law. The debtor not to be

Three laws in the interest of the poor: the Sabbatical year, or year of release (p. 102, Exodus 21:2 *, Leviticus 25:39 *). Deuteronomy 15:1. Every seventh year (probably the same year was observed throughout the country) a creditor's right to distrain for debt was suspended (not, as some say, permanently cancelled). Foreigners, however (not sojourners, see Deuteronomy 1:16 *) were deprived of this privilege (Deuteronomy 15:1). If, however, obedient to Yahweh, Israel would not need to borrow ...

The Year of Remission: (2) of Slaves If a Hebrew, man or woman, serves as a slave for six years, in the seventh he shall not only go free but be liberally equipped from his owner's property; as Israel was a slave and redeemed by God (Deuteronomy 15:12-15). If, however, the slave elects to remain with his owner because he loves him, then he shall be bound to his service for ever (Deuteronomy 15:16 f.). Nor must his emancipation seem hard to the owner: six years" profit from a slave is double the hire of a hireling (Deuteronomy 15:18). Sg. throughout. Whether there are any editorial additions is uncertain: the prevailing use of the masc. for slave seems to some to point to the phrase or

DISCOURSE: 209 THE RELEASE OF BOND-SERVANTS Deuteronomy 15:12._ If thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy wine-press: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bond-man in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to-day._ BENEVOLENCE characterized the whole of the Jewish law; as well of that law which regulated the state, as of that which was to govern the souls of individuals. Some things indeed were tolerated under that dispensation which do not acc