Deuteronomy 15:4
There will be no poor among you, however, because the LORD will surely bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance,
There will be no poor among you,

God established an ordered covenant life in which Israel’s obedience, generosity, debt release, gleaning laws, and care for the vulnerable would prevent entrenched poverty. The command did not permit indifference toward those in need; Deuteronomy 15:11 recognizes that poverty would persist because of human sin and calls Israel to open-handed mercy.

Act 4:34 There were no needy ones among them, because those who owned…
Act 2:45 Selling their possessions and goods, they shared…
2Co 8:13-15 It is not our intention that others may be relieved,…

however, because the LORD will surely bless you

The Lord’s provision was tied to Israel’s wholehearted obedience to His commands (Deuteronomy 15:5; 28:1–14). Material abundance was meant to display God’s faithfulness and enable His people to serve others rather than exploit them. In Christ, God grants every spiritual blessing and forms a people marked by generosity and mutual care (Ephesians 1:3; Acts 2:44–45).

Deu 28:2 And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you,…
Pro 10:22 The blessing of the LORD enriches, and He…
Gen 22:17 I will surely bless you, and I will multiply…

in the land that the LORD your God is giving you

Canaan was God’s covenant gift, promised to Abraham and given to Israel by grace rather than earned merit (Genesis 12:7; Deuteronomy 9:4–6). Within that land, Israel was to show the surrounding nations what life under the righteous rule of God looked like.

Exo 3:17 And I have promised to bring you out of your affliction…
Deu 6:10-11 And when the LORD your God brings you into the land…
Jos 1:11 Go through the camp and tell the people,…

to possess as an inheritance,

Each tribe and family received its portion as a lasting gift from the Lord, protecting households from permanent dispossession through laws such as the Jubilee (Leviticus 25). Israel’s inheritance anticipated the greater and imperishable inheritance secured for all God’s children through Christ (Romans 8:17; 1 Peter 1:4).

Deu 4:21 The LORD, however, was angry with me because of you…
Num 26:53 The land is to be divided among the tribes as an inheritance…
Gen 17:8 And to you and your descendants I will give the land…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The author of Deuteronomy, delivering God's laws and instructions to the Israelites.

2. Israelites
The chosen people of God, receiving the laws and preparing to enter the Promised Land.

3. The Promised Land
The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

4. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who promises blessings and provision.

5. Jubilee and Sabbatical Year
Contextual events related to debt release and economic reset, ensuring no long-term poverty.
Teaching Points
God's Provision and Blessing
Trust in God's promise of provision. The assurance of no poverty is rooted in God's blessing and faithfulness.

Community Responsibility
The community of believers is called to care for one another, ensuring that no one is in need, reflecting God's heart for justice and equity.

Faith and Obedience
Obedience to God's commands is linked to experiencing His blessings. Faithful stewardship and adherence to God's laws lead to a flourishing community.

Generosity and Compassion
Cultivate a spirit of generosity. As God blesses, believers are called to share and support those in need, embodying the love of Christ.

Hope in God's Promises
Hold onto the hope of God's promises. Even when circumstances seem dire, God's word assures us of His ultimate provision and care.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the promise of "no poor among you" challenge our understanding of community and economic responsibility today?

2. In what ways can the principles of the Sabbatical Year and Jubilee be applied in modern Christian communities?

3. How does the early church's practice in Acts 4:32-35 serve as a model for addressing poverty within the church today?

4. What are practical steps we can take to ensure that we are living out the call to generosity and compassion in our daily lives?

5. How can we encourage one another to trust in God's provision and remain obedient to His commands, especially in times of financial uncertainty?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Leviticus 25
Discusses the Year of Jubilee, a time of economic reset, which complements the idea of no poverty by ensuring debts are forgiven and land is returned.

Acts 4:32-35
The early church practiced communal living, ensuring no one was in need, reflecting the ideal of no poverty among God's people.

Matthew 6:33
Jesus teaches about seeking God's kingdom first, with the promise that all needs will be provided, echoing the assurance of God's provision.
The Year of ForgivenessR.M. Edgar Deuteronomy 15:1-6
A Bulwark Against CupidityD. Davies Deuteronomy 15:1-11
The Lord's ReleaseJ. Orr Deuteronomy 15:1-12
Brotherly LoveJ. C. Blumhardt.Deuteronomy 15:4-11
Duty of the Church Towards the PoorBp. Horsley.Deuteronomy 15:4-11
General Gordon's BenevolenceDeuteronomy 15:4-11
God's Ordinance of Rich and PoorU. Bradley, M. A.Deuteronomy 15:4-11
Kindness to the PoorDeuteronomy 15:4-11
Poverty no AccidentJ. Parker, D. D.Deuteronomy 15:4-11
Rural PovertyCharles T. Price.Deuteronomy 15:4-11
The Best Mode of CharitySydney Smith, M. A.Deuteronomy 15:4-11
The Cry of the PoorHomilistDeuteronomy 15:4-11
The Duty of Christian CharityA. Waugh, M. A.Deuteronomy 15:4-11
The Misery of a stingy SpiritDeuteronomy 15:4-11
The Poor Laws of the BibleHomilistDeuteronomy 15:4-11
People
Moses
Places
Beth-baal-peor, Egypt
Topics
Bless, Blessing, Certainly, Gives, Giveth, Giving, Greatly, Heritage, Howbeit, However, Inheritance, Needy, Poor, Possess, Richly, Save, Surely
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Deuteronomy 15:4

     1335   blessing

Deuteronomy 15:1-4

     4208   land, divine responsibility

Deuteronomy 15:1-6

     5504   rights

Deuteronomy 15:1-11

     5353   interest

Deuteronomy 15:4-5

     5449   poverty, remedies

Library
Homiletical.
Twenty-four homilies on miscellaneous subjects, published under St. Basil's name, are generally accepted as genuine. They are conveniently classified as (i) Dogmatic and Exegetic, (ii) Moral, and (iii) Panegyric. To Class (i) will be referred III. In Illud, Attende tibi ipsi. VI. In Illud, Destruam horrea, etc. IX. In Illud, Quod Deus non est auctor malorum. XII. In principium Proverbiorum. XV. De Fide. XVI. In Illud, In principio erat Verbum. XXIV. Contra Sabellianos et Arium et Anomoeos.
Basil—Basil: Letters and Select Works

Civ. Jesus Arrives and is Feasted at Bethany.
(from Friday Afternoon Till Saturday Night, March 31 and April 1, a.d. 30.) ^D John XI. 55-57; XII. 1-11; ^A Matt. XXVI. 6-13; ^B Mark XIV. 3-9. ^d 55 Now the passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, to purify themselves. [These Jews went up before the Passover that they might have time to purify themselves from ceremonial uncleanness before the feast. They were expected to purify before any important event (Ex. xix. 10, 11), and did
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Secondly, for Thy Words.
1. Remember, that thou must answer for every idle word, that in multiloquy, the wisest man shall overshoot himself. Avoid, therefore, all tedious and idle talk, from which seldom arises comfort, many times repentance: especially beware of rash answers, when the tongue outruns the mind. The word was thine whilst thou didst keep it in; it is another's as soon as it is out. O the shame, when a man's own tongue shall be produced a witness, to the confusion of his own face! Let, then, thy words be few,
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
THE FALL OF NINEVEH AND THE RISE OF THE CHALDAEAN AND MEDIAN EMPIRES--THE XXVIth EGYPTIAN DYNASTY: CYAXARES, ALYATTES, AND NEBUCHADREZZAR. The legendary history of the kings of Media and the first contact of the Medes with the Assyrians: the alleged Iranian migrations of the Avesta--Media-proper, its fauna and flora; Phraortes and the beginning of the Median empire--Persia proper and the Persians; conquest of Persia by the Medes--The last monuments of Assur-bani-pal: the library of Kouyunjik--Phraortes
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8

Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf.
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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