Deuteronomy 15:6

When the LORD your God blesses you as He has promised, you will lend to many nations but borrow from none; you will rule over many nations but be ruled by none.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses Israel on the plains of Moab, framing this promise as a direct result of obeying the covenant commandments given in the preceding verses.

The words — The Hebrew verb הַעֲבַטְתָּ (ha'avaṯtā) literally means "you will cause to borrow" or "you will lend," paired with גּוֹיִם (goyim), meaning "nations."

The thread — This pattern of external subordination and internal prosperity repeats in Deuteronomy 28:12 and 1 Kings 4:21, while Proverbs 22:7 presents the inverse principle of borrowing as bondage.

Why it lands — The text states that covenant obedience produces national economic independence and political autonomy, which the immediate context grounds in the practical command to lend to the poor rather than hoard wealth.

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

כִּֽי־ki-for יְהוָ֤הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your בֵּֽרַכְךָ֔be.rakh./Khahe has blessed/ you כַּאֲשֶׁ֖רka./'a.Sherjust/ as דִּבֶּר־di.ber-he spokeלָ֑ךְLa/khto <the>/ youוְהַֽעֲבַטְתָּ֞ve./ha.'a.va.Taand/ you will lend to גּוֹיִ֣םgo.Yimnations רַבִּ֗יםra.Bimmany וְאַתָּה֙ve./'a.Tahand/ you לֹ֣אlo'not תַעֲבֹ֔טta.'a.Votyou will borrow וּמָֽשַׁלְתָּ֙u./ma.shal.Taand/ you will rule בְּגוֹיִ֣םbe./go.Yimover/ nations רַבִּ֔יםra.Bimmanyוּבְךָ֖u./ve./Khaand/ over <the>/ youלֹ֥אlo'not יִמְשֹֽׁלוּ׃ סyim.Sho.luthey will rule

King James Version

For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 28:12 The LORD will open the heavens, His abundant storehouse, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations, but borrow from none.
1 Kings 4:21 And Solomon reigned over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These kingdoms offered tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.
Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.
Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Nehemiah 9:27 So You delivered them into the hands of enemies who oppressed them, and in their time of distress they cried out to You. From heaven You heard them, and in Your great compassion You gave them deliverers who saved them from the hands of their enemies.
Psalms 37:21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving.
Ezra 4:20 And mighty kings have ruled over Jerusalem and exercised authority over the whole region west of the Euphrates; and tribute, duty, and toll were paid to them.
Psalms 37:26 They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing.
Psalms 112:5 It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
Deuteronomy 28:44 He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be the head, and you will be the tail.