The Israelites were not only to care for the Levites (14:27, 29) and the aliens, orphans, and widows (14:29) but also other individuals in the nation who were in need (15:1-18).
15:1-11 "It is appropriate to deal with the law of release at this point, since it is best interpreted as an extension of the agrarian principles of the fallow year for the land, rather than a slaverelease law, linked in some way to the Hebrew slave release laws of Ex. 21:1-7 and Dt. 15:12-18."171
"At the end of every seven years"is an idiom meaning "during the seventh year."172There is some debate among interpreters whether God wanted the Israelites to terminate debts permanently173or only suspend them for a year.
"The present passage is a further exposition of the Sabbath year release recorded in Exodus 23:10 and Leviticus 25:2-7. The premise of the exposition offered here is that if the land was left unused in the Sabbath year, the landowner would not have money to pay his debts. To alleviate this hardship on the landowner, the debts were to be released for one year during this time. The sense of the word releaseis not to cancel,' as may be suggested in some English translations (e.g., NIV), but rather to postpone.' The debt was postponed for a year. This provision was not intended for the foreigner' (Dt 15:3); it applied only to those who lived permanently in the land. The foreigner' was one who stayed only temporarily in the land. Such a one was not a sojourner,' that is, a non-Israelite who had come to live permanently in the land."174
God values each person equally as an individual. This perspective comes out clearly in this section. God instructed His people to show concern for the welfare of every individual regardless of his or her economic or social position (v. 7; cf. Prov. 11:24).
"Elsewhere in the ancient Near East men were treated in terms of their status in the community rather than as individuals."175
The apparent contradiction between verses 4 and 11 is explainable as follows. The statement that "there shall be no poor among you"(v. 4) rests on the condition that the Israelites would be completely obedient to God (v. 5).176The statement that "the poor will never cease to be in the land"(v. 11) expresses what would really exist since Israel would not be completely obedient. It also represents what would exist among Israel's neighbor nations even if Israel was completely obedient.
"In Deuteronomy, poverty did not just happen. It was the result of conscious decisions that people made to ignore the divine will for Israel as expressed in the covenant."177
". . . poverty among Yahweh's vassals was a disgrace . . ."178
15:12-18 Moses turned now from the poor to slaves. These people also had rights in Israel. God did not condemn slavery as an institution. He permitted it in Israel. However slavery in Israel amounted to voluntary servitude. God strongly forbade the enslavement and oppression of individuals. Israelites could sell themselves as slaves as well as hired men and women (v. 18).179All slaves went free at the beginning of each sabbatical year.180
"The humanitarian spirit of Mosaic legislation permeates these civic and religious aspects of the Israelite society. It stands in contrast to the lack of dignity accorded to the common man in contemporary cultures of the Mosaic age."181
For more detailed information concerning the year of release, see Exodus 23:10-11 and Leviticus 25:1-7. In Deuteronomy, Moses emphasized the importance of love for God and man, principles more than procedures.
The year of release was a provision of the Mosaic Covenant that God has not carried over into the present dispensation. However as Christians we have revelation concerning how to deal with our debtors. We should settle our disputes with our brethren out of court privately or in the church if necessary (1 Cor. 6:1-6). We may take unbelievers to court, but if we cannot resolve our conflicts with our brethren out of court we should take the loss (1 Cor. 6:7) and forgive (Matt. 6:12, 14-15). We should also be compassionate and share with others, believers and unbelievers, who may be in need (Matt. 23:39; 2 Cor. 8-9; Gal. 6:10; Heb. 13:16).
