Deuteronomy 15:9

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Deuteronomy 15:9-10. Beware — Suppress the first risings of such uncharitableness.

And thine eye be evil — Envious, unmerciful, unkind, as this phrase means, Proverbs 23:6; that is, thou grudge to relieve him. The opposite to this is a bountiful eye, Proverbs 22:9. And it be sin unto thee — Charged upon thee as a sin. Thy heart shall not be grieved — That is, thou shalt give, not only with an open hand, but with a willing and cheerful mind, without which thy very charity is uncharitable, and not accepted by God.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

15:1-11 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, 2Co 9:7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

literally: "Beware that there be not in thy heart a word which is worthlessness" (compare Deuteronomy 13:13 note).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

7-11. If there be among you a poor man … thou shalt not harden thine heart—Lest the foregoing law should prevent the Israelites lending to the poor, Moses here admonishes them against so mean and selfish a spirit and exhorts them to give in a liberal spirit of charity and kindness, which will secure the divine blessing (Ro 12:8; 2Co 9:7).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart; suppress the first risings and inward motions of such uncharitableness.

Thine eye be evil, i.e. envious, unmerciful, unkind, as this phrase is used, Proverbs 23:6 Matthew 20:15; as a good eye notes the contrary disposition, Proverbs 22:9.

It be sin, i.e. it be charged upon thee as a sin, and as a great sin, as the word sin sometimes signifies, as Proverbs 24:9 John 15:24 Jam 4:17.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart,.... "Or, thy heart of Belial" (f); thy worthless heart, and which is without a yoke not subjected to the law of God, as every carnal heart is; and in which Belial, Satan, the prince of this world, works effectually, and inclines to evil thoughts, afflictions, and desires, which are to be guarded against:

saying, the seventh year, the year of release, is at hand: perhaps next year, or within a few months:

and thine eye be evil against thy brother, and thou give him nought; being of an uncompassionate and covetous disposition, shall refuse to give or lend him anything on this consideration, because the year of release will quickly come, when, if poor and unable to pay him, he would be obliged to release his debt:

and he cry unto the Lord against thee; go to the throne of grace, and in prayer bring a charge, and lodge a complaint of unkindness and uncharitableness: and it be a sin unto thee; the Lord shall reckon it as a sin, a very heinous one, and call to an account for it.

(f) "corde tuo Belial", Montanus.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. Beware] be on guard with respect to thyself; see on Deuteronomy 4:9.

a base thought in thine heart] Lit. a word or thing in thine heart, baseness, or worthlessness: beliya‘al; see on Deuteronomy 13:13 (14).

thine eye be evil] cruel or grudging, Deuteronomy 28:54; Deuteronomy 28:56; the opposite of tender or compassionate.

and it be sin unto thee] ‘that which we think our Prudence oft proves sin to us’ (M. Henry).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - A thought in thy wicked heart; literally, a thing in thy heart worthlessness, i.e. a thing which is worthless and unworthy. The word used is belial (בְּלִיַּעַל), which does not denote that which is wicked so much as that which is worthless. Thus, "a man of Belial" is a worthless fellow - not necessarily a wicked man (cf. Deuteronomy 13:13). And it be sin unto thee; i.e. entail guilt upon thee, and so expose thee to the Divine displeasure. Deuteronomy 15:9

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Thus they were also to beware "that there was not a word in the heart, worthlessness," i.e., that a worthless thought did not arise in their hearts (בּליּעל is the predicate of the sentence, as the more precise definition of the word that was in the heart); so that one should say, "The seventh year is at hand, the year of release," sc., when I shall not be able to demand what I have lent, and "that thine eye be evil towards thy poor brother," i.e., that thou cherishest ill-will towards him (cf. Deuteronomy 28:54, Deuteronomy 28:56), "and givest him not, and he appeals to Jehovah against thee, and it becomes sin to thee," sc., which brings down upon thee the wrath of God.