Deuteronomy 15:13

And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites in the plains of Moab, instructing them on the release of Hebrew servants after six years of service.

The words — The term רֵיקָֽם (reiḳam) means "emptily" or "without purpose," paired with תְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ (tešalləḥennû) "you will send him away," to forbid departing the freed servant with nothing.

The thread — The prohibition against withholding provision appears in Proverbs 3:27 regarding good for the deserving and Jeremiah 22:13 against building without justice.

Why it lands — The text commands the former master to provide material support upon release rather than allowing the servant to depart with nothing.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְכִֽי־ve./khi-and/ if תְשַׁלְּחֶ֥נּוּte.shal.le.Che./nuyou will let go/ him חָפְשִׁ֖יcha.fe.Shia free [person]מֵֽעִמָּ֑ךְme./'i.Ma/khfrom/ with <the>/ you לֹ֥אlo'not תְשַׁלְּחֶ֖נּוּte.shal.le.Che./nuyou will let go/ him רֵיקָֽם׃rei.Kamemptily

King James Version

And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:

Cross-references

Proverbs 3:27 Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act.
Jeremiah 22:13 “Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages,
Malachi 3:5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.
Genesis 31:42 If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, surely by now you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my affliction and the toil of my hands, and last night He rendered judgment.”
Exodus 3:21 And I will grant this people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you leave, you will not go away empty-handed.
Leviticus 25:42 Because the Israelites are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt, they are not to be sold as slaves.
Colossians 4:1 Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you also have a Master in heaven.