The Scriptures (ISR 1998) 1“At the end of every seven years you make a release of debts. 2“And this is the word of the release: Every creditor is to release what he has loaned to his neighbour, he does not require it of his neighbour or his brother, because it is called the release of יהוה. 3“Of a foreigner you could require it, but your hand is to release whatever is owed by your brother. 4“Only, there should be no poor among you. For יהוה does greatly bless you in the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you to possess as an inheritance, 5only if you diligently obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, to guard to do all these commands which I am commanding you today. 6“For יהוה your Elohim shall bless you as He promised you. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And you shall rule over many nations, but they do not rule over you. 7“When there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, within any of the gates in your land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, do not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, 8for you shall certainly open your hand to him and certainly lend him enough for his need, whatever he needs. 9“Be on guard lest there be a thought of Beliya‛al in your heart, saying, ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is near,’ and your eye is evil against your poor brother and you give him naught. And he shall cry out to יהוה against you, and it shall be a sin in you. 10“You shall certainly give to him, and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him, because for this reason יהוה your Elohim does bless you in all your works and in all to which you put your hand. 11“Because the poor one does not cease from the land. Therefore I am commanding you, saying, ‘You shall certainly open your hand to your brother, to your poor and to your needy one, in your land.’ 12“When your brother is sold to you, a Heḇrew man or a Heḇrew woman, and shall serve you six years, then let him go free from you in the seventh year. 13“And when you send him away free from you, let him not go away empty-handed. 14“You shall richly supply him from your flock, and from your threshing-floor, and from your winepress. With that which יהוה has blessed you with, give to him. 15“And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Mitsrayim, and יהוה your Elohim redeemed you. Therefore I am commanding you this word today. 16“And it shall be, when he says to you, ‘I do not go away from you,’ because he loves you and your house, because it is good for him with you, 17then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Do the same to your female servant. 18“Let it not be hard in your eyes when you send him away free from you, for he has been worth a double hired servant in serving you six years. And יהוה your Elohim shall bless you in all that you do. 19“Set apart to יהוה your Elohim all the first-born males that come from your herd and your flock. Do no work with the first-born of your herd, nor shear the first-born of your flock. 20“You and your household are to eat it before יהוה your Elohim year by year in the place which יהוה chooses. 21“But when there is any defect in it, lame or blind, or has any evil defect, do not slaughter it to יהוה your Elohim. 22“Eat it within your gates – the unclean and the clean alike – as the gazelle, and as the deer. 23“Only, do not eat its blood, pour it on the ground like water. |