Deuteronomy 15:3

_OF A FOREIGNER THOU MAYEST EXACT IT AGAIN: BUT THAT WHICH IS THINE WITH THY BROTHER THINE HAND SHALL RELEASE;_ Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it. Admission to all the religious privileges of the Israelites was freely granted to pagan proselytes, though this spiritual incorporation did not always imply an equal participation of civil rights and privileges (Leviticus 25:44; Jeremiah 34:14: cf. 1 Chronicles 22:2; 2 Chronicles 2:17)....

3._Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it_. An exception follows, that it should be lawful to sue foreigners, and to compel them to pay; and this for a very good reason, because it was by no means just that despisers of the Law should enjoy the Sabbatical benefit, especially when God had conferred the privilege on His elect people alone. What follows in the next verse, “Unless because there shall be no beggar,” interpreters twist into various senses. Some translate it, Nevertheless ( _veruntamen,_) let there be no beggar among thee; as if it were a prohibition, that they should not suffer their poor brethren to be overwhelmed with poverty, without assisting them; and, lest they should object that, if they should be so liberal in giving, they would soon exhaust themselves, God anticipates them, and bids them rely upon his blessing. Others, however, understand it as a promise, and connect it...

1-11 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. The law is spiritual, and lays restraints upon the thoughts of the heart. We mistake, if we think thoughts are free from God's knowledge and check. That is a wicked heart indeed, which 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. Those who would keep from the act of sin, must keep out of their minds the very thought of sin. It is a dreadful thing to have the cry of the poor justly against us. Grudge not a kindness to thy brother; distrust not the providence of God. What thou doest, do freely, for God loves a cheerful giver, 2 Corinthians 9:7....

The year of release is no doubt identical with the sabbatical year of the earlier legislation (Exodus 23:10 ff, and Leviticus 25:2 ff), the command of the older legislation being here amplified. The release was probably for the year, not total and final, and had reference only to loans lent because of poverty (compare Deuteronomy 15:4, Deuteronomy 15:7). Yet even so the law was found to be too stringent for the avarice of the people, because it was one of those which the rabbis “made of none effect by their traditions.”...

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

OF A FOREIGNER THOU MAYEST EXACT IT AGAIN,.... Either on the seventh year, or after it: BUT THAT WHICH IS THINE WITH THY BROTHER, THINE HAND SHALL RELEASE; a debt that lies between them, where the one is the creditor, and the other debtor, the creditor shall freely and fully forgive the debtor. So those only are released or forgiven by the Lord who are his own, whom he has reserved for himself, or chosen to everlasting life; who are interested in the covenant of his grace, one article in which is the forgiveness of sins; and who are redeemed by the blood of Christ, a branch of which redemption is remission of sin; and who are called by grace, and believe in Christ, to whom pardon of sins is promised; but those who are foreigners and strangers, and are not the Lord's chosen, redeemed, and called people, have no share in this blessing of grace; nor such who are rich in their own esteem, a...

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 ...

_foreigner nokrî_distinct not only from _neighbour_- or _brother-Israelite_, but also from _gçr_the foreign client or settler in Israel (Deuteronomy 14:21)....

_VER._ 3. _OF A FOREIGNER THOU MAYEST EXACT IT AGAIN_— Of an alien, that is, one who was neither a native Israelite, nor proselyted to the Jewish religion, but a mere Gentile: for this was one of the privileges of the Jewish community, and not one of the common rights of mankind; and therefore it is restricted wholly to Jews or Gentile proselytes: besides, there was not the same reason for releasing the principal or interest to a foreigner as to a Hebrew; for the Hebrews observed the sabbatical year, whereas the other sowed and reaped and traded in that year, as well as in others. See Grotius and Le Clerc....