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NASB | Deuteronomy 15:7 ¶ "If there is a poor man with 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; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Deuteronomy 15:7 ¶ "If there is a poor man among you, one of your fellow Israelites, in any of your cities in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not be heartless, nor close-fisted with your poor brother; |
Bible Question: What does this mean? |
Bible Answer: When God founded the nation of Israel, he gave them a law that lovingly made provision for the poor. First, it is noteworthy that the law did not establish an “upper” or a “lower” class. How did the Law help then? It did not recommend handouts. But it did recommend a spirit of generosity on the part of others. Hence, at the seasonal festivals, Israelites were urged to include 'the fatherless boy and the widow' in their celebrations.—Deuteronomy 16:9-11. If a poor man was in need of money, his fellow citizens were encouraged to lend to him whatever he needed, doing so generously and without interest. (Deuteronomy 15:7, 8; 23:19, 20) In this way, the wealthier citizen would not profit from the hardships of his brother Israelite. But, on the other hand, the poor man would feel the obligation to repay the loan. At harvesttime, poor Israelites were allowed to glean in other people’s fields and vineyards after the harvesters had finished. They could thus work to get needed provisions for their families. If a man was deeply in debt, he could sell himself into slavery for a limited period of time. This was not so bad as it sounds. His interests were protected by law, and he could thus pay off his debts, getting security for his family while he was doing so.—Leviticus 19:9, 10; Deuteronomy 15:12-15. God told the Israelites: 'Someone poor will never cease to be in the midst of the land.' Nevertheless, the way was open for the poor to be helped to work their way out of poverty. As long as the people showed faith in God, these provisions worked. (Deuteronomy 15:11; Psalm 37:25) |
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Questions and/or Subjects for Deut 15:7 | Author | ||
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Robert Murff | ||
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pcdarcan |