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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites on the plains of Moab, instructing them on financial conduct as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The command directly follows the directive to open one’s hand to the poor and precedes the promise of God’s blessing for generous giving.

The words — The text highlights הִשָּׁ֣מֶר (hi.Sha.mer), meaning take heed, and בְלִיַּ֜עַל (ve.li.Ya.'al), meaning worthlessness. These terms frame the internal warning against allowing a calculation about the approaching seventh year to corrupt one’s motives.

The thread — The warning that the poor may cry out to God and trigger divine judgment appears in Exodus 22:23 and Deuteronomy 24:15, while the danger of a begrudging heart contrasts with the generous disposition praised in Matthew 20:15. These passages link the treatment of the vulnerable directly to God’s responsive justice.

Why it lands — The passage requires readers to examine their financial calculations for hidden resentment and to refuse withholding help simply because a debt release is near. It demands immediate, ungrudging action because God actively hears the cries of those who are neglected.

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

הִשָּׁ֣מֶרhi.Sha.mertake heedלְךָ֡le./Khato <the>/ yourselfפֶּן־pen-lest יִהְיֶ֣הyih.Yehit should be דָבָר֩da.Vara word עִם־'im-with לְבָבְךָ֨le.va.ve./Khaheart/ your בְלִיַּ֜עַלve.li.Ya.'alworthlessness לֵאמֹ֗רle./Mor<to>/ saying קָֽרְבָ֣הka.re.Vahit has drawn near שְׁנַֽת־she.nat-[the] year of הַשֶּׁבַע֮ha./she.Va'the/ seven שְׁנַ֣תshe.Nat[the] year of הַשְּׁמִטָּה֒ha./she.mi.Tahthe/ remission וְרָעָ֣הve./ra.'Ahand/ it will be evil עֵֽינְךָ֗'ei.ne./Khaeye/ your בְּאָחִ֙יךָ֙be./'a.Chi./khaon/ countryman/ your הָֽאֶבְי֔וֹןha./'ev.Yon<the>/ needy וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not תִתֵּ֖ןti.Tenyou will giveל֑וֹl/oto <the>/ himוְקָרָ֤אve./ka.Ra'and/ he will call out עָלֶ֙יךָ֙'a.Lei./khaagainst/ you אֶל־'el-to יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh וְהָיָ֥הve./ha.Yahand/ it will beבְךָ֖ve./Khaon <the>/ youחֵֽטְא׃Chet'sin

King James Version

Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 24:15 You are to pay his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and depends on them. Otherwise he may cry out to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.
Matthew 20:15 Do I not have the right to do as I please with what is mine? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
Exodus 22:23 If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to Me in distress, I will surely hear their cry.
Jeremiah 17:10 I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
Mark 7:21 For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
James 5:9 Do not complain about one another, brothers, so that you will not be judged. Look, the Judge is standing at the door!
Exodus 3:7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
Job 34:28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.
Proverbs 23:6 Do not eat the bread of a stingy man, and do not crave his delicacies;
Proverbs 28:22 A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty awaits him.