Deu 15:7-18 | NASB2020 | STEP | “If there is a poor person among you, one of your brothers , in any of your towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart , nor close your hand from your poor brother ;

Deuteronomy 15:7-18

7 “If there is ^aa poor person among you, one of your brothers, in any of your ^{▼▼Lit gates}towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, ^cyou shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; 8 but ^dyou shall fully open your hand to him, and generously lend him enough for his need in whatever he lacks. 9 Be careful that there is no mean-spirited ^{▼▼Lit word}thought in your heart, ^{▼▼Lit saying}such as, ‘ ^gThe seventh year, the year of release of debts, is near,’ and ^hyour eye is malicious toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he ⁱmay cry out to the Lord against you, and it will be a sin in you. 10 You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be ^{▼▼Lit evil}grudging when you give to him, because ^kfor this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work, and in all ^{▼▼Lit the putting forth of your hand}your undertakings. 11 ^mFor the poor will not cease ^{▼▼Lit from the midst of}to exist in the land; therefore I am commanding you, saying, ‘You shall fully open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.’

12 “ ^oIf your fellow countryman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you for six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him ^{▼▼Lit free from you}free. 13 And when you set him ^{▼▼Lit free from you}free, you shall not send him away empty-handed. 14 You shall give generously to him from your flock, your threshing floor, and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you. 15 And you are to remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I am commanding ^{▼▼Lit this thing}this of you today. 16 But it shall come about, ^sif he says to you, ‘I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is doing well with you, 17 then you shall take an ^{▼▼I.e., a pointed tool}awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant permanently. You shall also do the same to your female slave.

18 “It shall not seem difficult for you when you set him ^{▼▼Lit free from you}free, because he has given you six years with double the ^{▼▼Lit wages}service of a hired worker; so the Lord your God will bless you in whatever you do.