Deuteronomy 15:7

If there is a poor man among your brothers within any of the gates in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, then you are not to harden your heart or shut your hand from your poor brother.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites on the plains of Moab, instructing them on social obligations before they cross into the territory the LORD is giving them. He places the command directly after the promise of national blessing and before the instruction to open one's hand.

The words — The text employs אֶבְי֜וֹן ('ev.Yon) to denote a needy person and describes the prohibition against hardening one's heart or shutting one's hand. These terms establish the baseline condition of the recipient and the physical posture of refusal.

The thread — Deuteronomy 15:9 warns against withholding aid because the release year is near. Proverbs 21:13 states that shutting ears to the poor leads to unanswered cries, while 1 John 3:16 links love for brothers to the example of Jesus.

Why it lands — The verse commands immediate, unhesitating generosity toward a fellow Israelite in need within the promised land. It requires the reader to actively prevent emotional or physical withdrawal when confronted with poverty.

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-if יִהְיֶה֩yih.Yehhe will beבְךָ֨ve./Khaamong <the>/ youאֶבְי֜וֹן'ev.Yona needy [person]מֵאַחַ֤דme./'a.Chadany/ one of אַחֶ֙יךָ֙'a.Chei./khacountrymen/ your בְּאַחַ֣דbe./'a.Chadin/ one of שְׁעָרֶ֔יךָshe.'a.Rei./khagates/ your בְּאַ֨רְצְךָ֔be./'Ar.tze./khain/ land/ your אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your נֹתֵ֣ןno.Ten[is] about to giveלָ֑ךְLa/khto <the>/ youלֹ֧אlo'not תְאַמֵּ֣ץte.'a.Metzyou will harden אֶת־'et-<obj.>לְבָבְךָ֗le.va.ve./Khaheart/ your וְלֹ֤אve./Lo'and/ not תִקְפֹּץ֙tik.Potzyou will shut אֶת־'et-<obj.>יָ֣דְךָ֔ya.de./khahand/ your מֵאָחִ֖יךָme./'a.Chi./khafrom/ countryman/ your הָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃ha./'ev.Yon<the>/ needy

King James Version

If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 15:9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought in your heart: “The seventh year, the year of release, is near,” so that you look upon your poor brother begrudgingly and give him nothing. He will cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.
Proverbs 21:13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
1 John 3:16 By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
James 2:15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
Matthew 18:30 But he refused. Instead, he went and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt.